The Fox and the Peacock
by VisionaryDame
Summary: After years of dealing with people shunning and called her names, Miyuki Shimizu began to despise her life as a half-fox. In the hopes of starting over, she decides to hide them from everyone and joins the Soul Society, only to be tormented by the memories of her past. Now, she is starting to be pressured into exposing the secret or risk losing everything. [YumichikaOC]
1. Start of a New Life

_The morning sun had long since risen over the buildings of the Soul Society, inching its way closer and closer to the center of the sky to signify the official arrival of noon. The sky was practically clear of most, if not all, of the clouds that occasionally littered the ocean of blue, and it allowed the sun's bright rays to cast down over everything it could touch. A cooling breeze brushed passed everything in its path: against the plants, flowers, and leaves of the trees that resided around the Seireitei. It even entered through any windows that were left open overnight, cooling their homes to a more comfortable temperature. While the weather itself could be considered decent, the air was just enough to be considered a warm atmosphere. The soothing yet distant sounds of chirping birds could be heard as well, twittering their mysterious melodic tunes to the world around them, alongside the nearby sounds of rushing water passing by and breaking the silence that would have settled otherwise._ _  
_

 _A new, peaceful day had begun once more in the world, though for many people, their day had started long before noon could arrive. The life of a Soul Reaper was surely not an easy task and days like these were not as often as many would like them to be. Many would seize the opportunity to enjoy the sanctuary of the new day, relaxing or spending the day with friends or even enjoying some fresh air while they finished their paperwork for the day. For them, getting out of bed was the best part of the day, especially on a day like today. For one Soul Reaper, however, the idea of getting out of bed had become a much more challenging task, even if the day could have been considered perfect._ _  
_

 _Bright amber eyes slowly opened and stared at the wooden ceiling as Miyuki Shimizu awoke from her slumber, a soft, groggy groan rumbling in her throat. A blank and unwavering look was evident on her face, and the fatigue she once felt seemed to fade the moment her eyes opened. Despite that, her body still felt heavy, and she did not want to move from the comfortable position on her bed. The feeling of the breeze entered into her room through the open window near her bedside, but even that was not enough to try to get her out of bed. Most days it would work for her as she excitedly leaped out of bed to start the brand new day. Today, however, happened to be different, which surprisingly did not come as much of a surprise as one would think. Instead of getting out of bed and preparing for the day, she lied there, as motionless as a marble statue, and stared at seemingly nothing. The only noises she could hear were the sounds from the outside and her breathing. It was relaxing, to say the least, but to admit that she was content where she was at would have been considered a lie._ _  
_

 _Miyuki frowned. She had a feeling today was going to be a rather long day._

 _After what seemed to be an eternity of staring into space, she let out a heavy sigh and slowly sat up, rubbing the remainder of sleep out of her eyes. Even though she was already wide awake by now, it was a rather unconscious motion to perform almost every morning. A habit, as she liked to assume, that she happened to pick up along the way. After that, she pulled the covers off her body, swinging her legs out and placing her feet on the cold hardwood floor. It sent a shiver up her spine upon contact, but she ignored it nonetheless as she slowly stood up and began sauntering over to her closet and dresser, grabbing the necessities required to get dressed for the day, before making her way into the bathroom. As much as she would have liked to enjoy a nice soothing bath in the hopes of relaxing for a bit longer, maybe even quell the feelings she had, falling did not want to waste any more time than she already had and decided a quick shower would be_ _the best option for today._ _  
_

" _I've wasted enough time as is," Miyuki mumbled to herself. "I don't want to keep anyone waiting any longer than they have to..."_

 _Sliding the door shut behind her, she began removing her clothing, tossing it into the nearby hamper that was starting to get full while making a mental note that she had to tend to the laundry either that day or tomorrow. While it did not seem that full, she would rather get ahead of herself before she forgot. She, then, leaped into the shower and turned on the water, drenching herself in the freezing water to wake herself up. Fortunately, despite the cold water sending another shiver down her spine, it did the trick within just a few moments. She was now fully awake and ready to start her day just as she intended. However, she still felt a dark aura floating over her and clouding her mind. No matter how much she tried to shake it away, it still came latching onto her, like a leech would its victim._ _  
_

 _Letting out a small annoyed huff, she quickly finished washing her hair and body as well as brushing her teeth – she thought it was more convenient to do – before shutting off the water. She did not have time to be worrying about what was bothering her and making her feel down; she had things to do that day, and she did not want anyone to start worrying about her...again. That was the last thing she wanted to happen, particularly as it has happened many times before. With that in mind, she grabbed the towel nearby and began drying her hair, rustling the light brown locks without much thought, before quickly pulling away and tying it around her body. As she did this, she happened to pass by the body length mirror standing near the sink and caught a glimpse of herself, stopping in her tracks and staring at the reflection._ _  
_

 _The image she saw was no different than any other day since she received it. She stared into the same brightly colored, innocent looking amber eyes, only today they were not as vibrant as they were previously. Her light golden brown hair was still messy, and the side swept bangs added to the somewhat disheveled look. Her olive skin, dotted with barely noticeable freckles on her cheeks, was still visibly wet, but slowly drying as she stood there looking at herself. Despite being wrapped in a towel, she could still gaze upon her small feminine figure, reminding herself that not every woman had a large cup size and to just brush it off. To top it all off, however, the icing on the cake as it were, she found herself looking past all of that and simply stared at the one defining feature that made her stand out from the rest. The one feature that made her appear to be the single flower that was oddly colored and stood out from the others in a bouquet, and it was that one feature that made her realize why she felt the way she did._ _  
_

 _Sitting atop her head, clear as day, were a pair of dark brown fox ears._

 _Yes, that was the reason Miyuki felt terrible that morning, and she was reminded even further as her fox tail began brushing against the back of her legs, revealing the white tip of the otherwise dark brown tail from the bottom of the fabric. As she continued to stare, she began stepping away from the mirror as though moving backward would somehow change what she saw. The dark feeling she had looming over her was just reminding her that this was who she was, and it started to eat away at her once again. It was a cruel and unforgiving reminder that the image she was looking at was not some dream, but a reality. It was a reality she still had trouble_ _coming to terms with. Even after all these years of living with it, Miyuki still found it hard to face the facts. She was half-fox, and she was going to be stuck that way for the rest of her life whether she liked it or not._ _  
_

 _Miyuki, as she kept her focus on the mirror, ended up backing into the bathroom door and just stood there, a frown forming ever so slightly as she watched the mirror's reflection make the same face back at her. She even watched the ears fall back as well, a universal sign that she was either scared, upset, or sad about something. To be fair, she had a hard time determining which feeling it was._ _  
_

" _Why...?" She whimpered under her breath, sliding down into a sitting position, hugging her knees as she began to feel tears welling up in her eyes. "Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?"_ _  
_

 _For as long as she could remember, Miyuki had always been like this, a soul that stood out from the rest all because of the fox ears and tail to match. She had difficulty remembering how she got it in the first place. For all she knew, she had them since the day she was born. Instead of people looking at her with smiles on their faces, she was met with a mixture of cold and cruel stares to looks of horror. Regardless of what expressions they had, all of them began thinking one thing: Miyuki's appearance – no, her birth in general – was an omen of ill fortune upon the people, and they wanted nothing to do with her. It was not long before the names started to come._

Freak...

Monster...

Abomination...

 _It was hard to figure out just how many names were thrown her way all those years, all with the means of demeaning her and treating her like she was lesser than everyone else. Even now, after getting away from the harsh words and dirty looks, they still stung, like adding salt to a wound that desperately tried to close and heal. No matter how hard she tried to push those memories away, no matter how much she wanted to replace them with happier memories, Miyuki looked in the mirror and heard every last cruel word that was thrown at her. It brought her back to those dark days when she felt alone, afraid, and just wondering why it all had to happen to her._ _  
_

" _I just want to be normal..." She mumbled under her breath, tears now falling down her cheeks. "I want to be normal..."_

 _Suddenly, the distant sound of a door opening and closing caught her attention. Her ears instantly perked up just as soon as it reached them, and her breathing hitched. Her head shot up as she continued to listen for any other sounds that may have come after, her heart pounding against her chest. Did someone enter her home without her knowledge? Who could it have been, and why? Instead of contemplating the thought to figure that out, Miyuki jumped to her feet and grabbed another towel nearby, throwing over her head to hide the ears from view in case it was_ _a stranger. She wrapped her tail around her waist as she slowly opened the door just a crack, peeking through to see if anyone was there. Much to her surprise, nothing seemed out of place; it was left precisely the way it was when she entered the bathroom. Despite the silence starting to set in, but Miyuki still felt sick to her stomach. What if someone was hiding and she did not notice it?_

 _Her paranoia of the unknown lead her to begin sniffing the air, hoping to catch the scent of what she presumed was another person and catching them. After some time, instead of smelling someone, she caught the scent of what she recognized as...tea?_

" _Who's making tea in my home?" She wondered out loud as she opened the door completely and stepped out, cautiously making her way to the bedroom door and into the next room - the dining room to be precise. Cracking the door just a bit, she looked around the room and sniffed the air. Once again, she was met with a stronger scent of tea. However, it was not the only scent she was able to catch. After a moment, she realized that there was a residual scent of another person. She tensed at first, but then she noticed that the smell came from someone she knew, a friend. "Was...was that..." She slowly started, slowly opening the door fully and looking around. It appeared that whoever was there, was long gone by the time Miyuki got there. Then, she looked at the table and caught sight of a small cup filled with what she presumed was the tea she smelled. Upon closer inspection, a small piece of paper was settled underneath it, and she noticed that it was folded neatly. Clearly, there was a message on it, though Miyuki found it hard to understand why someone would do such a thing._ _  
_

 _Inhaling deeply, she slowly stepped toward it and carefully moved the cup to pick up the note. Unfolding it, she read the message:_

Miyuki,

I made some tea for when you wake up. Hopefully, it's not cold by the time you drink this, and you like it. Wasn't sure what type you liked, so it's a surprise! 

Meet us at the dojo today when you can. We have something special for you. 

See you soon!

Yukie

 _She blinked, reading over the note once more, before looking back at the tea. After a moment, she slowly felt a small smile form on her lips. Much to her surprise, a dear friend had come into her home and made her tea while she was sleeping. Granted, she had entered without permission, but Miyuki allowed it slide. After all, it was not the first time she had done that, and it certainly would not be the last._

 _"She's too sweet..." She said as she put down the note and picked up the cup, inhaling the smell and relaxing for just a moment. She cautiously raised it to her lips, taking a quick sip of the drink. Much to her surprise, it turned out to be green tea with a hint of honey and ginger. While_ _it was a bit too spicy for her, as the ginger seemed to be more potent than the honey, it just so happened to be one of Miyuki's favorite types of tea. Miyuki smiled. "Somehow, someway, you just know me, Yukie..." She muttered as she sipped on the tea once more. Yukie was either the smartest person she ever had the privilege of knowing or she was just really lucky._

 _As the desire to sit down and relax for a few more moments began to overcome her, Miyuki looked at the time, nearly burning herself as she quickly set the cup down in surprise. She still had to get ready, and the others were more than likely still at the dojo. Relaxing would have to wait, and she would have to thank Yukie later. Without wasting any more time than she already had, she sprinted back into the bathroom and quickly changed into her uniform, nearly slipping on the towel that she tossed to the side, before brushing out and fixing her hair. After making sure everything was settled comfortably and appeared decent, she looked over at the large white bandana and obi, eyeing them with a blank stare. It was a reminder of what she had to do to keep her secret from going public, a reminder that hiding was the only way for her to stay safe from reliving the past. It probably made her look ridiculous to everyone else, but what other option did she have?_ _  
_

 _Upon that thought, she swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. She did have another option, but it was probably best to not to go to down that path. At least, not now._ _  
_

 _Shaking her head, she grabbed both and wasted no time in putting them on with haste. She dropped her ears back as she put the bandana on and tied it, while she wrapped her tail around her waist to properly fit the large obi securely and comfortably around her waist. After that, she looked at herself in the body mirror once again, looking at herself to make sure everything was in place and nothing stood out. When she was certain that she was set, she ran out of the bathroom and to her bedside, picking up her Zanpakutō and tying it in the place where it normally resided. Satisfied, she went back to the dining room, took the cup of tea, and drank the rest of it in one sweeping motion. It was still a bit hot, but it was nothing she could not handle. After all, she was a Soul Reaper; a hot cup of tea was not going to be the end for her._

 _After taking the cup to the kitchen and cleaning it, Miyuki was prepared to leave...finally. While a smile on her face, she made her way to the exit of her home, passing by the small living room along the way. As she reached it, she swung it open completely and was about to walk out, until she came face to face with another person. The sight caused her to scream and fall backward, landing on her bottom rather ungracefully. Just as that happened, the sound of laughter erupted from the opened door, causing Miyuki to look up to see who it could have been. To her surprise, or rather dismay, she immediately recognized who the person was._

 _"Akemi!" She exclaimed, her face turning bright red with embarrassment. "What the hell is the matter with you?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"_

 _The woman, Akemi Saitou, was still laughing hysterically over the events that had taken place, using the door frame to keep her from falling over. Strands of her long indigo hair had brushed passed her shoulders, and her straight cut bangs shielded her eyes from view. Her necklace, a heart-shaped snake pendant, was swinging to and fro, but soon returned to her chest as Akemi stood up once more. A wide grin was plastered on her face, and her eyes, crimson in color,_ _looked at Miyuki with an apologetic gaze. Despite the look, the smile she had completely contradicted the original intention._

 _"I-I'm sorry, Miyuki!" She stuttered, trying to hold back her laughter. "I honestly didn't mean to do that. I was about to knock when you suddenly threw it open." She began giggling. "But oh man, did I come at a good time!"_

 _Miyuki pouted, making sure her bandana was securely in place, before saying, "I'm glad my misery brought you pleasure."_

 _After ceasing her giggling fit, Akemi offered Miyuki a hand, her smile still evident on her face._

 _"Hey, now, I said I was sorry," she explained. "I didn't intend to scare ya, and I didn't mean to laugh."_

 _Miyuki continued to frown, but she took hold of Akemi's hand nonetheless. She was careful as she stood up, making sure the obi around her waist was secure, but she was quick to speak up once more._

 _"What are you doing here, anyway?" She inquired, raising a brow. "You don't usually stop by unless it's for something important."_

 _Upon mentioning that, a look of realization appeared on Akemi's face._

 _"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did come here for a reason!" She responded, her smile returning to her face once more. "I have fantastic news involving you!"_

 _Miyuki blinked._

 _"Involving me?" She questioned, earning a single nod from Akemi. "Well, what is it?"_

 _Within moments, Akemi took hold of Miyuki's shoulders, looking her deep in the eyes as if the news she was about to tell was the most life changing news Miyuki ever heard._

 _"For starters, you remember who Renji Abarai is, correct?" Akemi suddenly asked, her expression unchanging._

 _Miyuki stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. Why would she ask a question like that?_

 _"Of course, I remember Renji," she answered. "You invited him to go drinking with us several times." Miyuki pouted as the memories came back to her. "Not to mention the last time you asked him to join us, you both passed out during one of your ridiculous drunken challenges."_

 _Akemi giggled at the thought, looking away as she recalled the memories of that night._

 _"That was a good night, but that's not what I'm talking about." She ceased her giggling instantly and looked back at Miyuki. "He recently got promoted! He's gonna be the Lieutenant of Squad Six now!"_

 _Miyuki perked up at that, eyes widening as a bright smile formed on her lips._

 _"That's wonderful! I have to congratulate him when I see him next time!" She exclaimed before lowering her head slightly. "He worked so hard to get to where he's at, and it makes me happy to see it getting him places."_

 _"Ah, but the good news doesn't end there," Akemi went on, earning a look from Miyuki once more. "With Renji being promoted, that means his seat is now vacant."_

 _"So...what, we're just gonna have an empty seat now?" Miyuki asked, blinking with confusion. "I don't see what the big deal is about that. We have plenty of them hanging about in our squad." Akemi grinned mischievously, though she did not say a word in response. Instead, she continued to look at Miyuki while toying with her coiled snake ring a bit. Apparently, she knew something that Miyuki did not, and it was not long until she realized what she meant by her comment. "Wait..." She slowly started, her eyes slowly widening. "If there's an empty seat...and you're telling me you have something important to say to me concerning that..." Akemi nodded furiously but did not speak. "Then, that means-"_

 _"Ugh, I'm not gonna wait for you to figure it out!" Akemi suddenly exclaimed, frightening Miyuki, as she embraced her tightly. "Miyuki, you're gonna be offered that seat! You're gonna be the new Sixth Seat of Squad Eleven!"_

 _The news left Miyuki utterly speechless, eyes widened in shock, as Akemi laughed excitedly over revealing the news. It was reeling in her head for what seemed like an eternity, and she found it difficult to full process._

 _Miyuki Shimizu, an unseated and rather clumsy officer of one of the toughest squads in the Soul Society, was going to be seated as their Sixth Seat. That fact alone was enough to make her feel a thousand different emotions all at once. She felt happy because she was being recognized as a reliable and diligent fighter just like her friends, especially Akemi, who was the only other seated officer that she knew of who was a woman. She was worried because she believed being a seated officer would bring a lot of pressure to the table, forcing her to prove herself time and time again. She was scared because she was unsure if she would be able to live up to the expectations that Renji had more than likely surpassed, especially since he was now promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. She was all of those things and more, but she was unsure as to which emotion overpowered the other._

 _"Miyuki, are you okay? You're looking a little pale." The voice of Akemi suddenly broke her thoughts. She looked at her and blinked, noticing the mix of happiness and worry in her crimson eyes as she held onto Miyuki's shoulders once more. "Aren't you happy about this? You're gonna be a seated officer! Officially! I'm so excited for you!" Miyuki, still speechless, said nothing as she stared at Akemi. The silence turned Akemi's expression completely to worry. "You look a little terrified. Is everything alright?"_

 _"I-I..." Miyuki stuttered to try and get a sentence out. "I-I'm...speechless. I...I have no idea what to say or...what to...feel..."_

 _Upon hearing that, Akemi grinned widely._

 _"Hey, don't worry! It's not scary or anything!" She assured Miyuki. "It may sound like a lot, but being promoted into a seat is pretty big. You're gonna be recognized and respected as a fighter, which let's be honest," She patted Miyuki's shoulder, "you're are truly one hell of a fighter, if I do say so myself."_

 _Hearing Akemi say those words made Miyuki perk up a bit, a glimmer of awe appearing in her eyes._

 _"Do you...do you really mean that?" She inquired, earning a swift nod from her comrade. Suddenly, she reeled back and looked away. "But...but I'm so clumsy and awkward! I can't even have a conversation with someone without sounding stupid!"_

 _"And Yumichika can't have a conversation with someone without flaunting his looks like the peacock he is," Akemi pointed out, earning a light glare from Miyuki. "That doesn't mean he's terrible at what he does. That's just who he is. And besides, you'll be able to grow out of it someday, and if not..." She shrugged, "Eh, that's why they call life a bitch, you know?"_

 _Miyuki looked away once more, a small pout forming on her lips._

 _"Yeah, but-"_

 _"But nothing!" Akemi interrupted her, making Miyuki jump in surprise, as a sweet smile formed on her face. "You'll be just fine. I promise. You'll have us around to take care of you if things get dicey."_

 _Despite still feeling a thousand different emotions, Miyuki could not help but smirk at that comment._

 _"If I had you taking care of me, then why bother promoting me?" She asked jokingly. "If I can't defend myself, then what would the purpose of being in this squad be?"_

 _Hearing those words made Akemi smile triumphantly, draping an arm around Miyuki's shoulders and pulling her closer._

 _"Starting to sound like a real Squad Eleven officer, aren't you?" She laughed heartily, earning a cheeky smile from Miyuki. "Now, we've wasted enough time here! We got shit to do!"_

 _"I got a note from Yukie saying we were meeting at the dojo of all places?" Miyuki inquired, raising a brow as they exited her home. "Seems like an odd place to go for a celebration."_

 _"Yeah, it was Ikkaku's suggestion, which was a dumb idea, so I changed it to a new location!" Akemi stated, sliding the door shut behind her. "It'll be at our typical hangout!"_

 _"Why there? That's where you normally get drunk with the others."_

 _"Exactly! It'll be a fun time for everyone, even for you!"_

 _"But it's a little passed noon, and I don't drink! You can't get drunk at this point!"_

 _Akemi's expression suddenly changed to a blank and ominous stare, looking at Miyuki and making her shrink away ever so slightly._

 _"You're right," she said, her voice monotone and unwavering. "I'm not gonna get drunk." Then, she began grinning like a madman. "At least, not now, so you are correct!" She linked arms with Miyuki. "Besides, the celebration isn't until later tonight. I'm taking you to Zaraki so you can be all set for your promotion to Sixth Seat. He wants to get it over and done with as quickly as possible, so it shouldn't be too long." Miyuki did not say a word, but she did nod in response. "All right, let's go!"_

 _With that said and done, the two began sprinting off to where their captain resided. Even now as they ran, Miyuki still felt anxious about this new step in her life, wondering if the captain was right about this decision. However, thinking back to her conversation with Akemi gave her a sliver of confidence. It was not supposed to be all that bad, right? She would be able to handle the responsibilities that came with it, right?_

 _...Right?_


	2. One Year Later

"Foxy!"

Before she had the chance to react to the voice, Miyuki was nearly tackled to the ground by an unseen force. She was close to losing her footing, but she able to catch herself before that could happen.

"Gah!" She exclaimed, nearly panicking both at being tackled and the name that was called out. Looking over her left shoulder, she was soon face-to-face with the bouncy Lieutenant of Squad Eleven, Yachiru Kusajishi, clinging to Miyuki's shoulder. A bright grin was on her innocent face, and she was giggling. "Lieutenant Kusajishi! W-what was that all about?"

"I saw you on my walk and wanted to say hi, Foxy!" Yachiru explained happily.

Hearing the name once again caused a concerned look to cross Miyuki's features.

"Uh, why do you call me 'Foxy' again?" She suddenly questioned. Clearly, she was a bit concerned with the name her Lieutenant had given, feeling that it was a reference to a secret that she still kept under wraps. "That's a bit of a strange name for someone like me. Don't you think?"

Yachiru's dark pink eyes looked toward the sky as a pout formed on her lips.

"Hmm, nope!" She quickly responded, looking back at Miyuki with a smile once more. "Ever since we met, you've always reminded me of a fox. I'm not sure why, but I like it! So that's the name you get, Foxy!"

Miyuki, knowing there was no possible way to change her mind once it had been made up, sighed and smiled in return.

"I guess that's alright..." She mumbled as she continued walking, being more cautious of the weight on her shoulder. It was more to herself than to Yachiru.

One year had passed before her eyes since Miyuki became the new Sixth Seat of Squad Eleven, taking over Renji Abarai's seat after he was promoted to Lieutenant of Squad Six. A lot of trials and tribulation had come her way, and to her surprise, she was still there, able to handle what was thrown at her without hesitation – even if her clumsiness did spoil that triumphant feeling every so often. Despite being a nervous wreck about taking the position at first, she believed she had done well for herself as time went on, growing more and more comfortable with her position. People started to look up to her and respect her for being in such a high position. Whether that was because they were legitimately proud or if it was because Akemi threatened many of them not to take Miyuki lightly was unknown. However, things were slowly but surely getting better, and Miyuki was satisfied with that.

Seeing Yachiru, for some reason, brought back those memories as well as those of when she was able to converse properly with the young Lieutenant outside of the battlefield. It was back then that the nickname Miyuki was given was, albeit meant to be kind and playful, a grim reminder of who she was and what she was trying to hide.

"I'm gonna call you Foxy from now on!" The Lieutenant exclaimed with a bright smile.

Miyuki remembered catching her breath instantly while Akemi raised a curious brow at the name.

"'Foxy?'" She inquired, stealing a glance at Miyuki before looking back at Yachiru. "Why 'Foxy,' if I may ask?"

"Hmm..." Yachiru began to think as she continued to cling to Captain Kenpachi Zaraki's shoulder as she always did, placing a finger to her chin in the process. She took a quick glance at Miyuki before saying, "Well, she reminds me of a cute little fox! I'm not sure why, but she does!"

Akemi looked back at Miyuki and looked her over, seemingly oblivious to Miyuki's uncomfortable state.

"You think so?" She asked. "It's hard to tell, to be honest, but..." She shrugged. "Hey, I suppose whatever works is cool, I guess."

As much as she did not like the name in the first place, Miyuki did not want to hurt Yachiru's feelings and accepted it without hassle. After all, even if she openly said she did not like it, Yachiru would have referred to her as such regardless, so there was no use wasting the air. Once she had a nickname in mind, it was hard to change unless she forgot. Much to her fortune and surprise, however, no was able to suspect a thing about Miyuki's true self. At least, that was what she told herself before Yachiru had suddenly given her the nickname. Whether the Lieutenant knew the truth about what she looked like or not was still a mystery, but it was best not to try and give anything away.

"Where are you off to today, Foxy?" Yachiru soon inquired, lifting herself so that she could lean forward and look at Miyuki. "You're not just gonna be walking around all day, are you?"

Returning to her senses, she looked back at her Lieutenant and said, "Oh no, I'm meeting up with the others at the dojo. Ikkaku's fighting some of the new guys to 'see what they're made of' or something like that."

Yachiru gasped happily at the words.

"Baldy is gonna be fighting the new guys today?! I wanna see! I wanna see!" She exclaimed, waving a hand as though she was in class begging to be picked to answer a question. "Kenny is napping right now, so I have plenty of time to watch! It'll be fun!"

The actions and comments made Miyuki giggle.

"You're free to join if you'd like to," she said, though the response was not needed. Yachiru would have joined her whether Miyuki wanted her to or not, as her tendency to roam freely to any part of the Seireitei was well known to practically everyone in all the squads. "In fact," Miyuki looked ahead and realized they had approached said location much sooner than expected, "we're here."

Yachiru cheered excitedly at the news, leaping off Miyuki's shoulder and running to the door. Miyuki was quick to follow after her, allowing the Lieutenant to throw open the door and bolt inside. Before she had the chance to get in, Miyuki suddenly heard a loud thud erupt from the room, jumping from the sudden noise and freezing at the doorway. No doubt it was the body of someone trying to take on the Third Seat of Squad Eleven but to no avail; as expected from rookies trying to act tough with the big boys.

By the time she relaxed a bit, Miyuki had started to hear voices speak up.

"Now that was just plain rude, Ikkaku." The familiar voice of Akemi was heard as Miyuki slowly entered. She looked over in the direction in which the voice came from, spotting the Fourth Seat leaning against a wall with her arms crossed. "You barely even gave them a chance to fight."

In the course of one year, not much had changed with Akemi personality wise, though there were some noticeable additions to her appearance that were not present back then. For one, instead of keeping the sleeves attached as she had done previously, she decided to tear them off. According to her, it was easier to fight without them, though she was still contemplating on whether or not to remove the back part. Another reason the sleeves were removed was that she could show off the tattoo of a snake on her upper left arm as well as the gold colored armband on her upper right arm. She still kept the necklace on as well – if Miyuki remembered, it was a gift – and it was very rare to see it missing. Lastly, she wore a gold-tone wrap bangle with a snake design and crystal accents on her left wrist, the eyes of the snake being rubies. Other than that, she was relatively the same as she was the day Miyuki first met her.

"Tch. Giving them a chance wouldn't be fair," came the voice of another person, grabbing Miyuki's attention to the center. It was then she caught sight of three Soul Reapers lying unconscious on the ground, groaning in pain, while one stood over them all. Without a doubt, it was the familiar figure of Ikkaku Madarame, one of the strongest and most powerful members underneath the Captain himself. He stood there with a wooden sword resting against his shoulder, as he looked over at Akemi. "If they wanted to fight, they shouldn't have hesitated the way they did."

Akemi pouted and raised a suspicious brow.

"You scared them before lunging at them like an animal," she explained to him plainly. Then, she referenced the remaining new members, who were equally terrified by what they saw. "Look, you even scared the others."

Ikkaku smirked.

"And yet you wonder why you aren't the Third Seat," he joked, immediately earning a scowl from Akemi. "Getting all sympathetic isn't the way you're supposed to go about getting newbies into shape."

"You son of a bitch..." She hissed, pushing herself away from the wall and placing a hand against the hilt of her sword. Suddenly, she smirked herself. "You know, I bet they got distracted because the light reflecting off your... _bald head_...got in their eyes."

Within seconds, Ikkaku was in a battle stance, unsheathing his weapon and dropping the wooden sword he once held, as he glared her down like she was his next victim. For all they knew, she had been on that list for a long time.

"What the Hell did you say?!" He snapped, frightening the new recruits even more. "Don't make me come over there and teach you a lesson in front of everyone here!"

"Hmm..." Akemi teased, smiling mischievously. "Maybe you could show these rookies and me how to shield our eyes from your _baldness_. That way we won't get distracted during a fight against you."

Ikkaku growled and was about ready to pounce on her with the intent to kill, when suddenly, an angry Yachiru shouted, "Baldy, you better be nice to Snake Eyes! You hear me?"

Without warning, the Third Seat swiftly turned his attention to Miyuki and Yachiru, the look in his eyes sending a shiver down the Sixth Seat's spine. If looks were capable of killing, she would have been reduced to nothing. However, the look immediately vanished as he realized that the Lieutenant was now in their presence.

"Lieutenant Kusajishi?" He spoke calmly, though his expression and attitude quickly changed back to annoyance. "How many times have I told you not to call me that? I'm not bald!"

Yachiru puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

"She's just trying to have fun, so you leave her alone!" She snapped, returning to the topic at hand. Even though Miyuki was unable to see her expression, it was clear she was unhappy with the exchange.

Akemi smiled in agreement, though there was an obvious malicious intent behind it.

"Yeah, Ikkaku, play nice!" She teased again, looking back at Ikkaku, who glared at her once again. "I'm only trying to have fun with you! That's all!"

"That look in your eyes says otherwise, you witch," he growled, earning a hearty laugh from Akemi as he returned his weapon back to its original spot.

Once the little argument was over, Yachiru suddenly turned back around and ran behind Miyuki, leaping and clinging to her shoulder just as she had done before. She was smiling once again.

"Now, Baldy, get back to fighting the newbies again!" She cheered, earning terrified looks from the recruits. "Foxy and I wanna see it!"

Hearing her request made Ikkaku smirk, and he turned to the other recruits, who began to cower even more the moment he looked in their direction.

"You hear that, boys?" He spoke out loud, picking up his wooden sword and placing it on his shoulder once again. "Your Lieutenant wants to see more fighting. And you shouldn't upset her if you know what's good for you."

Yachiru began cheering happily at his words, while Miyuki glanced at her and smiled. It was always nice to see her so happy, even if it was at the expense of seeing people fight.

"Glad to see you made it, Miyuki." She heard one more voice, pulling her attention from Yachiru for just a moment. Without a doubt in her mind, she immediately recognized the voice as someone very familiar to her, and she could already feel herself getting flustered at the realization. However, she played it off with a bright smile as she looked over at her friend and comrade Yumichika Ayasegawa, the Fifth Seat of Squad Eleven, who stood nearby with his arms crossed as well. He returned the kind smile before looking back toward Ikkaku. "I was worried you would miss out on all the fun."

"Ah, yeah, s-sorry about that," Miyuki quickly apologized, scratching the back of her head, while her bright smile immediately turned sheepish. "I would have been here a little sooner had I not run into the Lieutenant here." She, suddenly, became even more flustered as she tried to explain herself unnecessarily. "Uh, b-but we were almost here to begin with by the time she joined me! So...uh...I guess I...um..." It was at that point that her face started to turn pink with embarrassment, unable to form a coherent sentence. Instead of trying to finish what she was trying to say, she huffed and glanced away. "S-sorry...I'm getting carried away again."

Yumichika chuckled in response as he looked back at her, his smile unfazed. She also could not help but note how his purple eyes shimmered in the lighting, making her face turn a slightly darker shade when she realized she was staring.

"Don't worry, Miyuki, you don't have to apologize," he assured her. "After all," he smirked and closed his eyes, "it's very cute to see you flustered like that."

His words made Miyuki whine in embarrassment and look away, attempting but failing to hide the redness that was forming on her cheeks, as she mumbled a small, "G-goddamn it." under her breath.

On the outside, one would presume that she and Yumichika had some relationship with one another, the kind of relationship that involved lots of flirtatious exchanges between one another – or at least from one to the other. However, it was far from that. At least, that was what an embarrassed Miyuki would claim. Over the many years that they had known each other, the two were considered to be close in more ways than one. When they were in the same room as the other, they would do nothing but talk about whatever was on their mind. Most conversations, as many would recall much to her dismay, involved her becoming increasingly nervous with every word she said, causing her to stutter over her words with an embarrassed expression before muttering a short apology. To Yumichika, as the "vain peacock" – a rather sweet name given to him by Akemi – that he was, he thought it was "cute" when she acted that way, which would further cause her to stammer on her words or trip over something minuscule while walking. That alone was enough for people to assume they were together when in reality it was not the case.

However, what most people did not see was how deep their relationship had become over time. Even though Miyuki never opened up about her secret to him, the bond they shared was practically unbreakable. Whenever she laid her eyes on him, she would remember all of the conversations they had together, whether they were public or when they were alone. She remembered every moment, good or bad, that she ever spent with him, happy to know that someone like him had come into her life when he did. To someone else, it would have been considered something that most friends did on a daily basis. To Miyuki, however, she considered it to be a very special connection that two people could have as friends. It meant that they were comfortable talking about what was on their minds to one another instead of bottling it up for days, weeks, or even months on end until they snapped. It meant that they trusted the other person enough to know many of their secrets that they would never dare mention to anyone else. Though she had to admit, there was plenty more to learn about him, as she could feel like there was more to him than he actually let off from time to time. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, she could not blame him. There was plenty more to Miyuki and her story that even she could not tell him.

The thought made Miyuki look back at Yumichika, who had returned his attention to the fight that was about to commence. She could not help but wonder if he was having the same thoughts she was having. She wondered if he had any secrets to hide; she wondered if he would one day be willing to share them with someone like her. She wondered if she would be prepared to do the same for him if the time ever came to it.

Hearing Miyuki mumbling under breath, Yachiru looked at her before looking in Yumichika's direction. Upon seeing him, she smiled.

"Hey, Feathers, you should join Baldy in the fighting!" She told him, ignoring Ikkaku's annoyed growl at the nickname. "You're missing out on all the fun!"

Yumichika chuckled at Yachiru's request, causing her to puff out her cheeks in annoyance.

"I'll let him have his fun today, Lieutenant," he told her, running a hand through his hand. "And besides, I'd rather not get myself dirty by fighting these rookies."

"Aw, the peacock doesn't want to get his feathers messed up by a bunch of ugly men," Akemi suddenly chimed in, nearly scaring Miyuki when she realized the crimson eyed Soul Reaper had just appeared in front of Yumichika. She was pouting and looking at him with feigning sympathy, while her hands fell to her hips and she leaned forward a bit. The comment earned her an annoyed glare from Yumichika, causing Akemi to laugh heartily. "Oh, come on! You were just asking for it! Don't give me that look!"

"I'd disagree with your statement," Yumichika started before he looked away, "but I suppose there is some truth behind it."

"Ah ha!" Akemi exclaimed triumphantly, raising a fist in front of her and smiling a cheeky grin. "You can't beat someone that knows you better than anyone! You just can't!"

He smirked and chuckled.

"Still, that doesn't make you less annoying," he commented, earning a harsh glare from Akemi as she crossed her arms and pouted again.

It was hard for Miyuki not to smile at their interaction between the two, finding it comical to watch the brother-sister bond that Yumichika had with Akemi. While they were never related by blood, it was hard to deny that they might as well have been if no one actually mentioned that fact. It was evident on days like that, when Akemi would playfully poke fun at Yumichika for his vain and narcissistic personality that their relationship was clearly seen as familial, or at the very least close enough to be considered that. To many others, the relationship consisted of jokingly knocking one another off their high horses and occasionally their own appearances – Akemi was considered "ugly" for taking the Fourth Seat, and Yumichika was regarded as a "peacock" for his narcissism.

However, from what Miyuki knew about the two, their connection was a lot deeper than what came across in the public eye. While they would occasionally be seen arguing as brothers and sisters would, there was not a shadow of doubt in her mind that the two were extremely close to one another. There was a much bigger, much deeper story between the two that made them as close as they were, enough to be considered family. Akemi may have called him names and joked about his actions and personality, but Miyuki knew too well that Akemi would be more than happy to risk her own life to save his without even thinking twice. The same could be said for Yumichika as well, as he had a better understanding of Akemi than Miyuki or anyone else that was considered a friend.

"I won't specify what exactly happened to her, but there is one thing I can say," he once told Miyuki during one of their many private conversations. "Akemi is the way she is not because she wants to stand out, but because she understands what it's like to be hurt and used by people. She knows what it's like to have no one as a guardian to protect you, and she wants to be that person for the people she cares about." He chuckled, no doubt because of the memories of his beloved friend. "She may not show it in the most graceful of ways, sure, but she means well. If she considers you a friend or even family, you're worth protecting in her eyes."

The memory of that conversation made Miyuki smile even more as she closed her eyes. She had yet to get to that point with Akemi, but she would have considered it an honor to know her as well as he did.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Akemi's voice was suddenly heard directly in front of her. Miyuki opened her eyes again, only to jump back and yelp when she realized Akemi was inches from her face with a devilish grin. Upon seeing her reaction, Akemi giggled. "Aw, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"Liar," Yumichika said as he looked at her with a deadpanned expression. "You just whispered to me saying you were going to do it."

She turned her head to glare at him while Miyuki took a moment to calm herself, ignoring how Yachiru was commenting about how "jumpy" Miyuki was.

"Shut up, you! You're supposed to back me up!" She told him. He raised a brow before smirking and looking away, angering Akemi. "What's that face for?"

"Sorry, I don't assist people who are seated as such an ugly number," he told her.

Growling, she turned around and glared at him, stomping her foot, as she shouted, "Asshole! My seat number isn't so ugly when you face the fact that it means I'm stronger than you!"

"Doesn't make it any more beautiful, either..."

"You little piece of-"

"Alright, quit fighting, you two!" Miyuki laughed, running to stand between the two before things got out of hand. Even though it really would not get to that point, she was still a bit cautious. "We don't need more bloodshed in this dojo."

"Aw, but Foxy, I wanna see them fight! They never fight like Baldy does!" Yachiru whined, jumping off Miyuki's shoulder and standing next to her. "It'll be like one big brawl! It'll be fun!"

Miyuki glanced down at her and, through gritted teeth, said, "That's not gonna solve anything, Lieutenant."

A dramatic sigh erupted from Akemi as she turned toward Ikkaku, who had flipped over one of the new recruits and slammed him into the floor, while she crossed her arms over her chest and shut her eyes.

"Ya know, Miyuki is right," she spoke calmly, earning looks from the three nearby. "Beating each other up isn't gonna solve anything, especially if it means ruining that pretty little face of his." Yumichika glared at her, but smiled and looked toward Ikkaku as well. "And besides," she went on with a lower voice as she opened her eyes, giving Miyuki a mischievous gaze, "I wouldn't want to hurt poor Miyuki by hurting the man she-"

" _Akemi_!" Miyuki exclaimed frantically, nearly leaping onto Akemi as she grabbed her and pulled her away from the others.

Akemi laughed heartily as she watched Miyuki's face change colors, placing an arm over her shoulder and pulling her close.

"Ah, so I _am_ right," she whispered devilishly, earning a whine from Miyuki.

"No, you aren't!" She retorted in a low tone, keeping fistfuls of Akemi's shihakusho tightly in her grasp. "That's just a dumb thing to say!"

"If I was wrong, you wouldn't have pulled me away~!" Akemi responded in a singsong fashion, only to earn a harsh stare from Miyuki.

Despite very clearly stating otherwise on numerous occasions, Miyuki was incapable of convincing Akemi – and even Ikkaku for that matter – that her relationship with Yumichika was strictly platonic in every way. She constantly told the crimson eyed Soul Reaper that there was nothing between her and the Fifth Seat, that she was just clumsy all the time and timid by nature, and he just so happened to be around her. Catching Miyuki at the wrong moment would have easily caused the confusion, as she always stated. However, according to Akemi, Miyuki was not very good at lying to people, especially when her face flushed red as she tried to explain it properly. Because of this, much to Miyuki's misfortune, Akemi and Ikkaku would purposefully drop not-so-subtle hints whenever the two were together, all for the sake of getting a good laugh and having fun.

For Miyuki, however, she was unsure what to make of it, and she would typically remain quiet or pull them out of the room to scold them with a flushed face. On one hand, she knew it was obviously out of fun and meant to be taken in a teasing and playful manner. They were all friends, and friends normally poked fun at one another for the sake of having a great time. She knew that fact all too well. On the other hand, however, she also felt it could be dangerous for a friendship to be considered "romantic," especially if they were already established as friends. Miyuki worried that the idea of becoming romantic with a man she considered a dear friend would spoil the relationship, make things awkward for the two of them to the point where they would stop talking altogether. While it was a bit of an exaggeration, or at least in Akemi's eyes it was, it was not that hard to realize that it was a strong possibility. Miyuki cherished her relationship with Yumichika, and making things awkward between them would be devastating for her. As a matter of fact, spoiling any of her friendships would be devastating, as it was one of the most important aspects of life.

Miyuki's thoughts were broken as Yachiru climbed onto Akemi's shoulder and peeked over.

"Hey, Snake Eyes," she spoke, earning looks from both women, "do you know where Baldy's girlfriend is? She's usually here watching, but I haven't seen her all day!"

Akemi, upon hearing the name, quickly buried her face into Miyuki's shoulder, trying but failing to hold back her laughter, as she gripped both shoulders tightly. Miyuki could not help but stare at Yachiru with a confused look.

"Will you people stop saying I'm bald already?!" Ikkaku suddenly snapped before taking down another one of the recruits in his rampage. "I can still hear you from here, ya know?"

"Who...are you talking about, Lieutenant?" Miyuki could not help but ask, even though she had a funny feeling she had known the answer before it was given.

"No doubt she's referring to Yukie," Yumichika commented just as Akemi inhaled deeply and straightened once more, keeping both hands on Miyuki's shoulders in an attempt to keep herself from laughing. "Am I right?"

Yachiru nodded once and continued to smile as Miyuki, who looked over at him, asked, "But...I thought her nickname was Blue?"

Yumichika shrugged.

"Maybe she's changing it again," he told her as he returned his attention to the fighting. "After all, she does that rather often."

"So where did she go, Snake Eyes?" Yachiru went on to ask Akemi, who wiped away the tears of laughter from her eyes. "Is she gonna be here today?"

It took a moment for her to respond, making sure she did not have another laughing fit mid-conversation before she looked at the Lieutenant.

"S-she was, but she had some things to do back at her barracks," she explained, clearing her throat in the process. "Whether she would make it today or not is unclear, but even if she isn't there's plenty of other days when she could stop by and watch." Yachiru suddenly puffed out her cheeks as an angry look replaced the cheerfulness she usually exuded. The look she had nearly frightened Akemi and Miyuki to the point where they both shivered. "What is it?" Akemi could not help but inquire.

"She should be here, too!" The Lieutenant proclaimed. "She should be here to support Baldy like she always does." She ignored to hard look Ikkaku sent her as she looked between the two women. "Snake Eyes and Foxy, we're gonna go find Blue!"

"Um, are you sure about that?" Miyuki questioned. "Don't you think it's better to wait and see if she'll come instead of just stealing her while she's busy?"

"No way! She has to be here!" Yachiru exclaimed with a frown. "Byakkun won't mind if we tell him why she needs to come here!" Miyuki remained silent at the statement, disagreeing with her and imagining the opposite to what Yachiru was thinking. "Now, Snake Eyes!" Yachiru pointed to the door with a grin on her face. "Let's go get Blue for Baldy!"

With a shrug, Akemi smiled and turned to the door, ignoring Ikkaku's angry exclamations about how he was "shaven" and not bald.

"Eh, why not?" She said as she walked. "This could be fun!" Before she could leave, she stopped and turned to Miyuki, who was watching her leave along with Yumichika. "You comin', Miyuki?"

She jumped at the sound of her name, responding with a small, "Huh?"

"Are you coming with us?" Akemi repeated her question. She, then, stole a quick glance at Yumichika, looked back at Miyuki, and then smirked. "Or would like to stay with your-"

"Gah, I'm coming with you!" Miyuki immediately interrupted her, running forward while grabbing a laughing Akemi by the arm. "We'll be right back, Yumichika! Tell us everything that we missed when we get back."

He did not have a chance to respond as the trio quickly disappeared from view, running down the pathway and toward the Squad Six barracks. As they ran, Yachiru had a curious look on her face as she looked at Akemi.

"Snake Eyes," she spoke up, earning a look from the grinning Fourth Seat, "why does Foxy get all weird and jumpy when she's with Feathers?"

Without missing a beat, Akemi responded with an even bigger grin, "Oh, it's because she likes him, Lieutenant."

" _Akemi_!" Miyuki shouted while Akemi laughed even more, but she was unable to continue as her face continued to darken even more than ever before.


	3. Squad Six

The trek to the barracks of Squad Six was a rather short trip for Miyuki, Akemi, and Yachiru, but it felt long enough to enjoy the silence of the afternoon for a little while. As much as they enjoyed the ever-so-peaceful sounds of grown men beating each other like punching bags, it was always a great feeling to have some peace and quiet. It was a way to recharge one's energy and collect one's thoughts before going back in to experience more with a fresh mind. At least, it was that way for Miyuki and Akemi. In the case of the Lieutenant, however, she could not share the ideas, or if she did, she certainly did not exude those feelings today. She was excited to go and watch Ikkaku fight the new guys of the squad, enjoying the thrill of people fighting just as much as the captain himself did, and she was not afraid to show her displeasure when things did not go her way. Not only that, but she certainly wanted others to join in on the fun as well, disregarding the duties of a Soul Reaper in the process. Even if the Lieutenant meant well, it did not change the fact that she did a lot of things her way without much regard to how others would feel about it. Nevertheless, it did not make her a bad person; just someone who threw rules out the window way too often.

Upon approaching the barracks of Squad Six, Miyuki heard Yachiru gasp happily, having seen something catch her eye up ahead. Before she could look, however, she nearly fell over as the Lieutenant used her shoulder to leap ahead and run ahead. The actions threw her off balance for a moment, but she was immediately caught by Akemi as she took hold of both shoulders.

"Thank you," Miyuki breathed a sigh of relief.

Akemi grinned widely.

"No problem! Still surprised you still haven't gotten used to that by now," she commented, earning a small shrug from Miyuki as she glanced away.

"Well, it's not very often the Lieutenant is leaping off my shoulder," she pointed out, twiddling her thumbs. "Besides, I'm clumsy enough as it is, so, of course, I'll be the one to fall over it."

Akemi raised a brow at that, though it was evident that it was not a look of genuine curiosity but rather a look of mischievous intent.

"Oh~?" She responded in a small voice as she smiled devilishly, earning a look from Miyuki. "But I thought you only got clumsy around Yumichika? Have I been mistaken?"

Miyuki gasped and pushed her away, turning away to hide her reddening cheeks.

"N-no!" She retorted but paused when she realized what she said. "I-I mean yes! It's not always around him, and you are mistaken!" She quickly marched after Yachiru, who had seemingly disappeared through the door she had thrown open. "I'm just clumsy in general, so don't try and make it seem like it's something else when it isn't!"

The only response Miyuki received from Akemi was hearty laughter, which only further darkened Miyuki's cheeks, as she entered the office of whom she presumed was the Squad Six Captain's. As she entered the room, she caught sight of the small Lieutenant looking up at the two familiar figures, two friends of Miyuki's, for as long as she could remember.

"Aw c'mon, Tattoos!" Yachiru complained, sulking in front of Renji Abarai as her eyes looked up at him with a look of sorrow. No doubt there was a distinct pout on her face as well to add to it. "Why won't you let her go?"

The Squad Six Lieutenant sighed and rubbed the back of his head, ruffling the crimson locks that remained secure in its high ponytail.

"Believe me, I'd love to let her go with you," he tried to explain, "but it's not up to me to make that decision. It's the captain's decision, and he's not here right now."

Yachiru puffed out her cheeks.

"Then we'll bring her back before he returns!" She exclaimed. "He won't even know she's missing!"

"I don't think it works that way, Lieutenant Kusajishi," came the voice of Squad Six's Third Seat Amarante as she approached the two, her violet eyes unchanging from its blank stare as her bright blond hair trailed behind her. "Captain Kuchiki is very aware of the things that happen in his squad, and losing our Sixth Seat would no doubt catch his attention when he returns." Her words made Yachiru groan as she lowered her head in defeat, apparently unhappy with the response, as Miyuki slowly entered the room after her. When she entered the room completely, Amarante glanced up and caught sight of her. A small, barely noticeable smile formed on her thin lips. "I see you've brought friends to convince us as well, Lieutenant Kusajishi."

Miyuki jumped when she realized Amarante's stare was fixated on her, taking note of Renji following her gaze to look at her as well, as she sheepishly waved her hands.

"U-uh, well, I think we're more escorts than anything, to be honest," she tried to explain herself, though it was only after she said that she realized how dumb she sounded.

Renji and Amarante both gave her confused looks at that, which only made her feel embarrassed.

"Escorts?" Renji inquired.

Before Miyuki could respond to that, she felt an arm drape over her shoulder as Akemi appeared behind her, a cheeky grin evident on her cheeks. Miyuki would have jumped in surprise were it not for the fact that Akemi had a tendency to do that fairly often.

"Yup, escorts," Akemi said triumphantly, smirking in delight. "And we're here to escort your Sixth Seat over to Squad Eleven."

Renji rolled his eyes at her comment while Yachiru cheered happily. Amarante watched in silence as she crossed her arms, the white robe that she wore over her uniform falling off the shoulder just a bit. Akemi only giggled like a mischievous child while Miyuki looked on at the scene, taking a good look between both Akemi and Yachiru before looking at Renji and Amarante.

If she remembered correctly, her first meeting with Renji was back when he had first transferred to Squad Eleven from his previous Squad – Squad Five, was it? Much to her surprise, she was able to get along with him fairly well, having relatively decent conversations with one another about most things that were on their mind. As far as she knew, she had no problems with him, and she enjoyed his company. In fact, Miyuki had great admiration for his determination to grow stronger and stronger every day, a desire she had ever since she decided to join the Soul Society. It was a fact that she pointed out to him one day, claiming that she wished to have the strength not to surpass someone else as he did but to surpass the notion that she was not as tough as she wanted to believe. It was a feeling that plagued her, yet never openly voiced to anyone other than a select few that she could trust. He expressed his support for her after she made that statement, a stance that she was taken aback yet grateful for. Even to this day, she knew she had Renji's support in achieving her goals just as he had hers, and it was a feeling she never took for granted.

As for Amarante, however, she was a much more recent addition to Miyuki's "circle of friends," for lack of a better term, yet she cherished nonetheless. At first glance, Miyuki had confused Amarante for being a captain and even addressed her as such accidentally, since her white robe looked eerily similar to a Captain's robes save for the black obi around her waist. She was also able to make note of the hood, the differently styled sleeves – they were narrow up to her elbows before turning into small bell sleeves that reached just under her fingertips – and the narrowness of the robe itself. Not only that, but Miyuki was very intimidated by Amarante and her piercing yet blank violet stare, especially with her straight cut bangs hovering over and giving her a rather shallow appearance. Many days, Miyuki would unconsciously make note of how ghostly Amarante appeared to be at times, more because her long, bright blond hair appeared white in certain lighting, and her skin was rather pale in the sunlight. However, it was after adequately meeting her for the first time that Miyuki's opinion changed, even though she did have to frantically apologize after referring to her as "Captain." Amarante's ominous blank stare was not intended to bring fear or uneasiness to others as it had to Miyuki, but rather it was just a typical look for her. Miyuki never intended to ask why that was, feeling uncomfortable with prying into business that was not meant to be known, but instead chose to learn more about her as a person rather than what she looked like. As a result, as stoic and quiet as Amarante may have seemed, Miyuki gained a good friend out of it.

"Look, guys," Renji began to explain, looking over the three Squad Eleven officers, "we'd really like to let Yukie go with you all and enjoy herself." He looked toward the door behind them. "Unfortunately, not only will the captain not be pleased about her leaving suddenly, but she's not even here. She's been out all day."

Akemi pouted and raised a brow, standing up straight and crossing her arms over her chest, while Yachiru looked up at him with surprise. Miyuki only blinked curiously.

"You mean to tell me we came _all_ this way to find out she's not even here?" She whined, tapping her foot against the hardwood floor impatiently. "Tsk. What a bummer _and_ a waste of time."

"Do you know where she went?" Miyuki inquired. "I'm sure we can find her and ask if she'd like to join us." She paused and shrugged. "Unless, of course, she's busy."

"Hmm..." Amarante thought for a moment, placing a hand on her chin in thought. "If I remember correctly...I believe she said she was visiting Captain Unohana for something. Kagura went along with her as well." She looked back at Miyuki as she crossed her arms again. "She never stated the reason for why she was going, but maybe she is still there."

With a cheerful gasp, Yachiru ran back to Akemi and climbed onto her shoulder once again.

"Then we head to Squad Four!" She proclaimed with a new found determination. "We gotta bring Baldy's girlfriend to Baldy!"

Akemi snorted as she held her laughter again, slapping a hand to her mouth in a vain attempt to hold it in, while Miyuki sighed at the comment. Renji, on the other hand, could not help but burst into laughter at Yukie's nickname, while Amarante raised a curious brow.

"I didn't realize Yukie and Ikkaku were actually together," she commented, tilting her head as she glanced away.

"They may as well be considered a couple at this point, Amara," Renji told her as he calmed himself down and looked at her, though he was still grinning from ear to ear. She returned the gaze as he went on. "They've been friends for so long that people already assume as much about them before they even ask."

Her brows furrowed with concern at that.

"Doesn't that seem a bit rude to make assumptions?" She questioned. "Doesn't it bother her that people think that when they don't know?"

Renji shrugged.

"Beats me. She gets all flustered when you bring it up, but she doesn't seem to be offended," he pointed out, though the response did not appear to sit well with Amarante as she continued to look at him with a concerned expression. When he realized this, Renji panicked and quickly said, "U-uh, but don't get me wrong! If she's uncomfortable with it, she'll say something about it! I wouldn't assume things about her that she's already confirmed to be untrue!"

After hearing that, Amarante lightened up a bit as a small smile formed on her lips once again.

"That's good to hear, Renji," she commented. "You're an excellent friend to Yukie." Hearing that made the Lieutenant's cheeks turn a light shade of pink, though his expression clearly tried to remain strong. The sight made Akemi sigh happily and smile gleefully, earning looks from everyone else. "Something wrong, Akemi?" Amarante questioned curiously, raising her brow ever so slightly.

When she realized everyone was looking at her, Akemi's grin widened. She was not afraid of hiding it, and Miyuki could tell she was up to no good once again.

"Oh, nothing!" She responded, though her gaze instantly turned devilish. "I'm just admiring the adorable couple from afar. It's _really cute_ ~."

Miyuki wasted little time in nudging the now laughing Fourth Seat lightly as Renji's face nearly changed to match his hair color, a clear sign of his embarrassment. Unfortunately, Amarante only looked at her with a gaze of confusion, looking as though she missed what Akemi meant by the comment by a long shot.

Akemi's incessant desire to poke fun at people she saw as a couple had no end in sight it seemed and she was certainly not afraid to make that known for the sake of a good laugh. Miyuki was not the only victim to her schemes; Renji and Amarante were far from being off her list. Even though Miyuki did not really see it, Akemi made the assumption, similar to the friendship between Yukie and Ikkaku, that Renji and Amarante had _something_ going on behind the scenes. With the way Renji acted from time to time when she was in his presence and the way Amarante only seemed to smile at him most days, the Fourth Seat had trouble thinking otherwise. They may have been subtle actions – as far as Miyuki could tell, it seemed that way – but the subtle things were what really caught Akemi's eye, and she was not afraid to bring those up whenever the chance arose. However, Amarante, despite seeming oblivious to the comment Akemi made just now, was well aware of Akemi's suspicions, and she was very quick to explain that nothing was going on between her superior and herself.

"It would be unprofessional to have anything romantic going on between myself and my Lieutenant," she explained. "Renji is an excellent friend of mine and is very kind, but I can assure you that nothing is going on between us."

Even though her explanation was just and fair, Akemi still found it enjoyable to see Renji's face turn crimson with embarrassment whenever the opportunity arose.

Before any more words could be spoken, the group was suddenly interrupted by a voice, one they were not expecting to hear.

"What's going on here?" The voice of a young woman spoke, causing Miyuki to jump in surprise while Akemi and Yachiru glanced behind them.

When Miyuki turned her head around, she spotted the two familiar figures of Kagura Nakamura, Squad Six's Fifth Seat, and the woman they had come looking for: Yukie Murakami, Squad Six's Sixth Seat. The voice that had spoken no doubt belonged to Kagura, as the voice had remained calm and collected just as she always did despite seeing a group of people huddled in the captain's office. She stared at everyone with perplexed yet narrowed dark amber eyes, the color seemingly turning brown due to the lighting as well as her straight cut bangs hover over them, as she raised a curious brow. Her arms were crossed over her chest as well, a stance she was usually seen in most days. Despite the seemingly cold look she had, the way her bangs and long strands of auburn hair framed her face made her appear more innocent, more childlike in a way, than what she intended. The innocence factor was only accentuated by her ponytail, held high and cut short to reach just around her shoulders if it was left loose. It was hard to take her seriously at times because of this.

As for Yukie, though, she seemed to have a small, yet bright smile on her thin lips as she brushed her jet black side swept bangs out of her eyes rather quickly. Maybe she had not cut them recently, though her hair, reaching just to her shoulder blades, was usually kept back in a braid save for two strands left in the front. Even though she was just as confused about the situation as Kagura was, it was hard to deny that the look in Yukie's bright blue eyes was evidently telling everyone that she was happy to see the trio in the office. It had been quite some time, and being able to see her friends was always an enjoyable experience.

The moment she laid eyes on them, Yachiru gasped happily, leaped off Akemi's shoulder, and ran up to them.

"Amber! Blue! You're here!" She exclaimed happily, jumping for joy in front of them. "Just in time, too!"

Yukie's smile grew as she politely bowed to the Lieutenant.

"Good afternoon, Lieutenant Kusajishi," she said to her before standing straight and folding her hands in front of her. "I wasn't expecting you to stop by."

"From the looks of it, Captain Zaraki must be sleeping right now," Kagura suggested, "which only means you're on the loose to run amok once again."

She giggled in response before returning her attention to Yukie.

"Yup! That's right!" She looked over at Miyuki and Akemi, who also turned to look at them. "Foxy, Snake Eyes and I were watching Baldy fight some of the new guys in our squad," She began pouting,  
"but when I was told Blue wasn't gonna make it," She looked back at Yukie and smiled again, "we all came here get you! All so you can watch him along with us!"

Yukie blinked at her words, surprised that she went to such lengths just for her.

"Oh, wow! You came all this way for me?" She inquired between the trio, a small shade of pink forming on her cheeks. "That's very kind of you all."

"Well, to be more specific," Miyuki rubbed the back of her head as the others looked at her, "the Lieutenant wanted you to be there to watch Ikkaku. So, she asked – well, she told us, really – that Akemi and I were to join her in bringing you back. Whether that would be successful is...really unknown."

"Yup, pretty much," Akemi agreed, placing her hands on her hips. "Besides, I thought it would be fun to see how this plays out, especially since you were supposed to be busy."

Yukie giggled while Kagura shook her head.

"This really doesn't come as any sort of surprise, you know?" Kagura commented as she looked back at the two. "Seeing as how you're members of Squad Eleven, it's obvious you guys have a lot of time on your hands to do almost anything. It almost makes me jealous of you."

The comment earned another shrug from Miyuki while Akemi grinned.

"Hey, you're always free to join us," Akemi suggested. "Contrary to popular belief, we Squad Eleven members don't bite." A mischievous grin formed on her lips. " _Much_..."

Kagura had chuckled at her comment before she shook her head.

"Thanks, but I think I'm okay," she stated with a small smirk. "Besides, I'd rather not give the wrong impression of being thickheaded and stubborn to the rest of the Soul Society like you two."

Akemi giggled at her words, while Miyuki only smiled as a silent response.

She had always noticed Kagura's calm and collected persona that she had, noting how relatively easy it was to speak with her despite the disposition of appearing cold and distant. However, it was evident from the way she spoke that Kagura was, by no means, a fan of Squad Eleven. Yes, she had obtained friends that resided in the strongest squat even if it was through the means of bringing back three unconscious squad members after "putting them in their place" when they were bothering members of Squad Four, but it did not change the fact that she greatly disliked their brutish mentality. Despite that, however, Miyuki was able to find a good friendship with Kagura, often times running into her whenever she stopped by to visit Yukie and having a quick chat before making their way. She had no reason to dislike Kagura, especially after their first meeting since she agreed that Squad Four was not as weak as others made them out to be, and Miyuki found the Fifth Seat of Squad Six to be rather intriguing. She would have liked to learn more about her, but it was clear that it would be tough to do.

"Now c'mon, Blue!" Yachiru exclaimed, tugging on Yukie's sleeve repeatedly. "You gotta see Baldy beat up the new guys with us! You can't miss out on it today!"

Miyuki glanced over to notice Yukie shifting her eyes nervously, a clear sign of uncertainty showing just a bit as well.

"I know, I know, and I wouldn't miss it for the world..." Yukie began, but she could not help but release a sigh, "but I have to ask Captain Kuchiki first before I can leave. I can't go if there's something else that needs to be done first. It wouldn't be right."

Akemi silently chuckled to herself as she crossed her arms over her chest, muttering something about Yukie being "too much of a teacher's pet." Miyuki only glanced at her briefly before looking back at Yukie.

In many ways, it was true. Yukie was very much a play by the rules kind of woman, always following the rules to a point and making sure she was in line at all times. Whether it was how she was raised or what she was taught while being in the Squad was a mystery to most people. She was always respectful to the higher-ups, most importantly to Captain Byakuya Kuchiki himself, and she always made sure all of the work that needed to be done was finished before leaving. Because of her dedication, she would always finish early and ask her captain if he needed anything else before departing. That was how it was, and Yukie certainly did not mind it. However, even though she was usually "all work and no play," Yukie never wanted to miss out on the opportunity of seeing her friends, especially the friends she has known for many years. Akemi was one of those people Yukie was very close with, having spent their time in the Rukon District alongside Ikkaku and Yumichika. The four of them were practically inseparable, and there was no doubt anyone would want to see those people as often as possible if placed in separate squads. Miyuki, unfortunately, was not a part of that group; she was the most recent addition that had stumbled her way in without realizing how it happened. Sometimes, she felt awkward being around them, but Yukie still treated her as if she was always there nonetheless and making her feel welcome. It was little things like that and more that made Miyuki admire Yukie in so many ways. When they were not around the others, they would be seen spending time together and talking about things most people did not know about, similar to Miyuki's relationship with Yumichika. It was as if Yukie was a part of Miyuki's life all this time despite the reality of it being not that long. Nevertheless, Yukie treated Miyuki as if she were a sister, and Miyuki was very open about letting her know how much she appreciated those feelings.

Yachiru suddenly stopped tugging and looked up at Yukie with saddened eyes and a pout on her lips.

"But Blue…!" She whined. "I thought you were Baldy's girlfriend! You're supposed to be there for him, aren't you?"

"W-w-what?!" Yukie panicked at Yachiru's comment, a dark shade of red forming on her cheeks, just as Akemi and Renji began laughing once again. Their reaction made Yukie shrink away with embarrassment while Kagura started pinching the bridge of her nose. "I-I-I'm not in a r-relationship with Ikkaku!"

"Hmm…?" Yachiru responded as a questioning look formed in her eyes. "But I thought since you always acted weird around him it means you like him." She looked over at Akemi, who was trying to reel back her laughter. "Isn't that what you said about Foxy and Feathers?"

Miyuki's breathing hitched briefly as her face began to darken as well before she attempted to smile sheepishly, while Akemi started laughing once again, nearly collapsing to the floor in the process. Yukie tried to hide her embarrassed face with her sleeve, while Amarante told Renji he was "embarrassing Yukie" even more by laughing at her.

There was no doubt in Miyuki's mind that she understood Yukie's pain regarding situations like this, where people assumed she was in a relationship with someone because of how close they seemed. Much like Renji and Amarante, Yukie was on the list as well, though it was not just for Akemi but for quite a few people around the Soul Society. However, no one knew the whole truth about that, no one but Yukie and one other person: Miyuki. Because of their close relationship, Yukie seemed to feel comfortable enough to express her romantic feelings for Ikkaku to Miyuki, much to the fox girl's surprise. According to her, she had felt that way for far too long, long before their days in the Soul Society began, but she had fears about expressing them.

"I'm worried about what he'll think of me if I tell him how I feel," she explained on that fateful day, doing nothing to hide the shade of pink on her pale cheeks. "We've had such an incredible friendship over the years, and there's nothing that I would change about it. But..." She lowered her head as she twirled her thumbs nervously. "I'm scared that...if I express these feelings...he'll think I'm weird...or worse..." Miyuki could tell Yukie was swallowing the lump in her throat. "I...I may ruin our friendship. And I could never forgive myself if I did that."

It was a genuine fear of hers, soiling a friendship of so many years all because she had grown romantically attracted to him, and it was one that Miyuki could sympathize with. At least, in a way, she could sympathize with her. After all, Miyuki was just as afraid of losing her friends as Yukie was; the only difference being she did not have romantic feelings for any of her friends. At least, that was what she told herself.

After her laughing fit had ceased, Akemi stood up straight again, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"Y-yes, I did say that..." She spoke, doing her best to keep herself from laughing. "B-but maybe it doesn't maybe it doesn't apply to Yukie. She's timid and shy by nature, and she acts like that with everyone."

Yukie's eyes shifted as she lowered her sleeve, her face still bright crimson, while Yachiru smiled brightly and looked at her.

"Well, whatever the case," she started, grabbing onto Yukie's sleeve once more, "you're coming with us!"

"H-huh?! W-wait a second! I – GAH!" Yukie tried to speak but was suddenly pulled out the door with an excited Yachiru, leaving the others to watch in surprise.

"Well, guess it's time to make our departure!" Akemi muttered as she chased after them followed by Miyuki.

"Wait a second, you three!" Kagura shouted as the two sprinted out the door, running out to watch them with a look of surprise.

"What about Captain Kuchiki?" Renji followed suit, standing next to her while Amarante walked out and stared at the fleeting forms.

"Don't worry!" Akemi called over her shoulder. "Just be honest and tell him she was stolen by Yachiru!"

"We'll be sure to bring her back as soon as possible!" Miyuki shouted to them as well just before they began disappearing from their view. She, then, looked back at Akemi. "How long do you think it'll be before we let Yukie go back?"

Akemi pursed her lips in thought before looking at Miyuki and smiling.

"Knowing Yachiru, probably not for a _long_ time," she responded truthfully.

The response made Miyuki sigh.

"I had a feeling you would say that..." She muttered, a smile gracing her lips, as they continued to chase after the fleeing Yachiru and Yukie.


	4. An Odd Question

"Gosh, what a day it's been..." Miyuki stretched her arms into the air before allowing them to drop to her sides once more. Her eyes seemed to glaze over with fatigue, yet she was capable of keeping her pace with Yumichika, who had offered to walk her back to her room. "Wasn't expecting things to go the way the did today, and now I'm beat because of it."

"You can never really expect things to go the way you plan them," said Yumichika, earning a look from Miyuki, "especially if you're in the company of the Lieutenant."

She smiled and giggled, moving her arms behind her back as she gazed up at the sky.

"You're right about that," she responded. "Though, I never would have imagined she would choose me, of all people, to be her victim of the day. I wonder what changed her mind."

Yumichika glanced down at her.

"Maybe that's the reason," he answered with a smirk. "Maybe the Lieutenant knew that fact and decided to change that today for the fun of it."

Hearing him say that made her sigh as her head sank in defeat.

"Yeah, for the fun of it," she grumbled. "I hope she did have a good time because I'm exhausted now."

"Well, I'm glad I decided to walk you back to your room," he said with a chuckle. "Wouldn't want you passing out along the way here, now would we?"

Miyuki giggled as she straightened herself, once again moving her arms behind her back, as she looked ahead.

Despite the toll it had taken on her body, the day had gone relatively smoothly for Miyuki and the others. Kidnapping Yukie from her barracks was certainly something she was only half expecting, though it was one hell of a trip. The trek back seemed much shorter than the walk to the barracks, making Miyuki wonder if Yachiru had taken some secret path to get back faster only to remember that Yachiru was never good with directions in general. The fact that they did not get lost was truly a miracle.

When they reached the dojo, Yachiru wasted no time in proclaiming the arrival of "Baldy's girlfriend," which only flustered the poor Sixth Seat since the man in question was in the room, and that the fun could actually begin. Even though he was confused by the nickname she had given to Yukie, Ikkaku did not bother asking; he was already back into fighting the newbies, almost as if he had a brand new resolve flowing through him. It was certainly an entertaining duel, Miyuki recalled, but no one was a match for the Third Seat no matter how many times they got back up. Veterans who knew Ikkaku well cheered him on as the opponents were defeated left and right, rooting for the man they knew would put them in their place. Akemi and Yachiru were right there with him, calling him by his special nickname every so often to rile him up, while Miyuki decided to watch from a much safer distance alongside Yumichika and Yukie. They knew how Yukie was with being surrounded by people for extended periods of time, and they were more than happy with keeping themselves separated from the group at the cost of not being able to see what was happening. After all, there were plenty of other days to see it unfold.

After all the fighting had ceased, and most of the people watching had left, Miyuki watched as Yukie approached Ikkaku and spoke with him, no doubt talking about the fight at hand and how she was happy to have caught it despite the means of getting there in the first place. Miyuki remembered seeing Ikkaku smiling cockily as his sword rested against his shoulder, though it is hard to tell what was said between them. However, she was able to see Akemi in the middle of being the special friend she was; from afar, Miyuki was able to see the Fourth Seat making faces toward her, expressions that were distinctly mischievous. No doubt it was because Miyuki was near Yumichika, who did not even notice the faces Akemi was making, and the Fourth Seat was her reminder that she still believed they were a thing. In an attempt to ignore her, Miyuki decided to walk up to Yukie and Ikkaku, noting how Yumichika was soon to trail behind her, just as Yachiru approached the two.

"That reminds me," Ikkaku spoke when Miyuki and Yumichika were within hearing distance. "Where did that nickname come from, anyway? Is that new or something?"

Yachiru looked him questioningly. When Miyuki glanced at Yukie, she was able to notice the growing shade of red slowly forming on her pale cheeks.

"You mean Blue?" She inquired before smiling. "That's 'cause her eyes are really blue, so it suits her!"

Ikkaku shook his head.

"I know that one, but I'm talking about the one from today," he explained to her, not even noticing Yukie shifting uncomfortably as she began playing with her hair.

It took some time for Yachiru to remember, but when she did, her face immediately lit up as she said, "Oh! You mean when I called her your girlfriend?" Ikkaku nodded quickly, still oblivious to the fact that Yukie was on par with the color of a tomato. "Well, she's always acting strange around you, and she even turns really red sometimes, too!" Without missing a beat, she quickly pointed to Yukie. "Like what she's doing now! You see how she gets all red? Snake Eyes said that people act like this around someone they like, so she must be your girlfriend!"

Miyuki could not help but steal a glance at Yumichika, who had placed his face into his hand as he tried his best to hold back his laughter. Apparently, without Yachiru taking it into consideration, the Lieutenant may as well have confessed how Yukie felt about Ikkaku right in front of him. Unfortunately, though more fortunately for her, Ikkaku laughed heartily at the notion, earning different looks from everyone over what his reaction would be.

"Sounds like Akemi's been telling you some strange stories, Lieutenant," he stated. Then, he draped an arm over Yukie's shoulders and pulled her close, grinning from ear to ear. It was a gesture of friendship, though Yukie's darkening face would have said otherwise. "As you can see, Yukie and I have been through plenty over the years. If anything, I would have figured out how she felt a long time ago, but she acts like that all the time. Right, Yukie?" He looked at her, finally taking notice to how silent and red faced she had become, before blinking with confusion. "You alright there? You look a little red in the face."

"Y-yes! I'm fine!" She quickly blurted out, though she quickly covered her mouth and glanced away. "I-I'm just not used to being around this many people, that's all." She sent him a reassuring smile, or at least she tried to do so. "B-but I'll be okay! Don't worry."

Looking back at that moment made Miyuki frown ever so slightly. Even though the moment was rather comical in many ways, she realized that Yukie backed out of expressing how she felt due to her fear. She was afraid of showing any romantic feelings not only because she was worried about what he would think of her but because she had a feeling their friendship would become awkward and would distance them. From the way Yukie acted when she expressed those feelings to Miyuki, it was plain as day to see that Yukie cared deeply for Ikkaku and did not want to soil that with petty emotions that may or may not be reciprocated. As humorous as it may have been, it was hard for Miyuki to deny that seeing Yukie in that position was extremely hard. She could only imagine what was going through her head.

"Miyuki?" She jumped at the sound of her name, looking at Yumichika and notice his look of concern. "Are you okay? You appear to be troubled by something."

Miyuki blinked for a moment before realizing what she was doing; her expression of worry over Yukie's well being made Yumichika think something was wrong.

"O-oh! Y-yes, I'm fine!" She quickly assured him, putting on a smile to match her words. Her gaze fell ever so slightly. "I was just...I was just thinking about something that made me a little worried."

He raised a brow at that, keeping his purple eyes on her the whole time, before asking, "Did you want to talk about it?"

She took a moment to consider the thought, wondering if asking Yumichika a question about Yukie was an okay thing to do. Yukie may have been good friends with Yumichika, but how much information did she give away regarding her feelings for Ikkaku?

"Well..." She slowly spoke. "It's...not so much about me...but it's..." She paused as she tried to find the right words, slowing down her pace at the same time. He began to slow down as well so he could remain by her side. "I don't know how to word it, to be honest..."

He smiled at that.

"Take your time," he assured her. "We've got some time before we arrive, and you know I'm a very patient man."

Miyuki chuckled at that before she began thinking again. After another moment had passed, she pursed her lips briefly before looking at him.

"Alright...so, I have a rather...odd question," she began to speak. Yumichika remained silent as she went on, "In a...hypothetical scenario...say you have someone that you've known for a long time – _for many_ years – and you're really good friends with them and all that. You talk as often as you can, you enjoy one another's company, and everything is splendid."

Yumichika looked forward as he began thinking.

"Okay..." He spoke slowly. "Go on..."

With that said, Miyuki inhaled deeply as she also looked ahead.

"Well, say one day, that friend of yours...they, uh..." She paused as she looked for the right words again. "They start to have these...these feelings. These feelings aren't just any feelings, though. They're, uh, they're the special kind of feelings." She looked at Yumichika for a moment, who still appeared to have a thoughtful look in his eyes, before looking ahead. "These...'special feelings'...they-they want to come out. They want to come out and show themselves to the world without fear, but...but fear is what's holding them back."

She stole another glance as he slowly looked at her once again, keeping his gaze fixated on her.

"Why would they hold this friend back?" He inquired curiously. "Don't they want to be released?"

She turned to look at him as she stopped walking, which he mimicked the same action.

"They do!" She responded quickly, but immediately pulled herself back a bit. "They do want to be set free and show the world that they exist, but..." Her gaze fell as she looked away. "But this friend is...afraid...that if these 'special feelings' are revealed, you'll think they were weird. They're afraid that their friendship with you will be..." She hesitated, folding her hands in front of her. "They'll be soiled...or it could result in losing their friendship with you altogether." She paused as she slowly glanced back at him, noticing that he had never taken his eyes off her as his hands returned to his side. "I guess…I guess my point is..." Inhaling, she turned her gaze to look him directly. "Hypothetically speaking, how would you feel if...someone you've known for a long time had romantic feelings for you, but they were too scared to tell you because they were afraid of ruining their friendship with you?"

The two continued to look into each other's eyes, neither of them making a single movement or flinching in the slightest, as silence began to set in. The only sound Miyuki could hear was the sound of their own breathing as well as the light breeze that brushed by. She was worried that she may have given away the fact that Miyuki was referring to Yukie, but at the same time she was concerned about saying things in a way that may have referred to someone else. Whichever it may have been, the look on Yumichika's face was evidently fixated on an expression that clearly showed him pondering her question.

It was not long before she watched him break the gaze as he turned his head away, pushing some of his hair behind his ear in an almost unconscious manner. He still appeared to be thinking about what she said, but Miyuki could tell that he was about to respond.

"Well..." He finally spoke, his eyes shifting as he tried to find the right words. "I suppose it all depends on what their friendship is like." He looked back at Miyuki. "Just because they're a friend of mine for many years doesn't necessarily mean they're a good friend."

Miyuki nodded in agreement and said, "That's true, but hypothetically, you are good friends, as in you talk often – well, as often as you can – and you really enjoy having their company. They're always there for you if you need them, you have great conversations with them, all that stuff. You name it, you've...probably done it." Yumichika began to think again, but he kept his gaze on her as she continued. "The only problem is this friend wants to express these…'special'..." She paused and shook her head. "No, these ' _romantic_ feelings.' This friend wants to express their _romantic_ feelings for you...hypothetically, of course...but they don't want to ruin the friendship they have with you. That's what's holding them back."

He continued to ponder the thought for a moment, his gaze still locked onto hers as though they would give the answer he needed. After a long moment, his eyes widened ever so slightly with realization, as though he had just learned something before he began smirking and closed his eyes. Before Miyuki could ask, he immediately spoke.

"Ah, I see what's going on here," he stated coolly. "It took me a bit, but now I get it."

Miyuki blinked with confusion as he opened his eyes again to look at her.

"H-huh?" She responded. "W-what do you mean by that?"

He chuckled, causing Miyuki's face to turn pink.

"Come on, Miyuki. I know what you're trying to do, but I've figured it out." He told her, crossing his arms over his chest. Miyuki blinked again; she genuinely had no clue as to what he was talking about, or at least she thought she did. When he realized this, he said, "I know who you're talking about, Miyuki, so there's no need to speak that way anymore."

Her face turned pale as her eyes widened, almost like a deer in headlights. Did she actually give away too much information when explaining?

"Y...you do?" She slowly asked, unconsciously toying with her strands of hair and shifting her eyes. "But...but I didn't say who I was referring to..."

"I know," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "but from the way you explained it, I can already tell who you're talking about." Miyuki frowned as she shrunk away a little, feeling oddly guilty for keeping the information secret. He noticed this and, with a more genuine smile, gently placed a hand on her chin and made her look at him. "Don't feel guilty, Miyuki. I understand that you'd want to help Yukie without mentioning her name, but trust me. I've been on that road for a long time."

Despite the ever growing blush forming on her cheeks from the contact, Miyuki could not help but blink with surprise.

"You...you have?"

"Yes, and it's been a rather tricky path to be on, to be completely honest," he responded, retracting his hand before he began walking again.

She remained in her spot for a second, contemplating what he said before she quickly caught up with him.

"What do you mean?" She inquired, looking at him with a curious gaze. "How long has she been this way?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I can't say for certain," he explained, "but for as long as I've known the two, I could tell how she felt about Ikkaku. After all, she's known him for much longer than I have."

She looked away and placed a hand on her chin.

"Yeah, she did mention that..." She muttered to herself. Then, she looked at Yumichika once again. "But why would it be tricky, though? It sounds like she really wants to say something to him about it, but she just can't."

"Well, it's just as you said when you were explaining it before," he told her, looking down at her. "Fear is what holds her back. She's so afraid of tampering her friendship with him that, no matter how much she tries, she just doesn't have the courage to tell him the truth." He sighed as he looked to the sky. "Not to mention Ikkaku isn't very bright when it comes to things like that, so he just assumes she's always been like that."

Miyuki looked at him for another moment before looking forward with a saddened expression.

"I wonder if he'll ever pick up on it," She muttered, though it was loud enough for him to hear. "I'd hate to see Yukie doing this to herself any longer than she has to."

"It is a little saddening to see, but there's nothing either of us can do for her," he explained. "I've offered to say something to him in her stead, but she refuses every time. She would rather do it herself than have someone else take the opportunity from her." After a moment, he smiled. "But I get the feeling it'll happen. Sooner or later, it will."

Miyuki did not say anything in response to that, instead choosing to keep her gaze forward.

She did believe it would happen someday, but the thought of Yukie being afraid of exposing her secret reminded her of herself a little too much for her liking. Granted, the situation was different from Yukie's in a way, but it was hard to deny the fact that she had an understanding of how Yukie felt. For Yukie, she was terrified of the idea of losing such a close friend because of her feelings, believing they would be the factor that would tear them apart. In Miyuki's case, she was fearful of exposing the secret of her appearance out of the fear of losing all her friends. Having them figure out the truth would be devastating for the both of them, and it was hard for them to tell if the people they cared about would truly be around once their secrets were out or if they would turn their backs on them as they feared. It was thoughts like that that made Miyuki wonder if telling them the truth would actually be worth it or if it would be a waste of time, both on her part and on Yukie's part.

"Miyuki?" Just as before, Miyuki jumped at the sound of her name and looked at Yumichika again, who had stopped walking. A look of concern was evident on his face. "You look troubled again. Are you okay?"

"Uh..." She lost her train of thought for a moment before she quickly smiled. "Y-yeah, I'm okay! I'm just thinking, that's all!" Her smile slowly faded as she glanced away. "Just...thinking about how I can relate to how Yukie feels..."

"Is that so?" Yumichika blinked curiously. "Why is that?"

It was after he said that that Miyuki realized what she said, causing her to pale as she raised her hands in front of her chest in an almost defensive manner.

"U-uh, I-I mean, I understand how she feels!" She tried to explain frantically. "Like...like I can see how she would be afraid to tell a close friend about her romantic feelings 'cause she doesn't want to harm the relationship she has with him!" She laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head, while Yumichika began smiling at her flustered state unbeknownst to her. "I-it's not like I feel the same way she does about anyone or anything." She panicked when she realized what she said. "Gah! I-I-I mean...not that I have f-feelings for anyone or anything like that! Which I don't! I just...I...uh..." Instead of trying to find the words, she sighed and lowered her head in defeat. "I-I'm sorry. I'm just a flustered mess right now."

Yumichika laughed at that as he walked up to her, earning a shamefaced look from Miyuki as her cheeks began to burn with embarrassment even further.

"I told you that you don't have to apologize for that, Miyuki," he said to her. "It's not necessary."

Her eyes shifted as she turned her head away and pouted.

"I know that, but..." She grumbled but trailed off. He chuckled once again, earning a look from her. "W-what?"

"I'm just admiring how cute you look again," he replied honestly.

Miyuki flinched and covered her face with one hand, attempting to hide the red that was practically covering her face.

"O-Oh, stop that!" She stuttered over her words, using her other hand to try and cover her face more to no avail. "You're making it worse!"

He laughed before leaning toward something, a door, and opening it.

"Well, if it makes you feel better," he started, looking at her with a bright grin, "we're already here, so I won't have to pester you for the rest of the night."

With a small pout, Miyuki sent him a light glare before approaching the door into her place of living. When she entered, she turned around and looked up at him, trying to force away the blush that still radiated on her cheeks, before smiling warmly.

"Thank you for walking me back, by the way," she said, placing her hand against the door in the process. "I'm surprised you offered to do so, to be honest. You've never done that."

He shrugged.

"I thought a nice change was in order," he explained. "And besides, we didn't have time to talk after everything that happened today, so I thought it would be appropriate to do it tonight." Her smile grew as she looked away, but she looked back at him when he said, "But it is rather funny..."

"Hm?" She blinked curiously. "What's funny?"

He seemed to have a thoughtful look in his eyes, staring at the floorboards for a moment, before he looked back at her.

"I thought it was funny when you were explaining that story about Yukie," he responded. Miyuki sent him a confused look as he went on. "Not because I think the situation is humorous, but because, for a little bit, I thought you were referring to yourself." Miyuki's eyes widened ever so slightly, unable to form words as her breathing hitched. However, she was able to force a quick smile as he looked at her. "It was probably the way you worded it that threw me off a bit."

She laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head.

"Y-yeah, that must have been it..." She replied, slowly trailing off at the end without him realizing.

"In any case," he stated as he took a step away from the door. "Sleep well, Miyuki."

She nodded and muttered a small, "And you as well, Yumichika."

With that said, he disappeared from sight right before she was able to slide the door shut, leaving her to her thoughts once again. The silence had begun to set in, yet Miyuki was incapable of moving from her spot. Her smile faded slowly as she, once again, felt her cheeks burning intensely, thinking about what he had said to her moments before departing.

 _He thought...I was talking about myself…?_ She thought, brows furrowing as her cheeks began to burn more intensely. She took a moment to look back on everything that she told him, every last detail to see how he could have been confused. At the time, she did not believe so since her thoughts were only on Yukie, but when she looked back at it, she came to the horrible realization. Every word she spoke could have spun to sound like she was referring to herself instead of to Yukie. In other words, Yumichika honestly thought Miyuki was about to confess to him.

After a moment, she sighed, placed her heated face into her hands, and groaned.

"Ugh. How embarrassing..."


	5. Dream or Memory

_"There it is..."_

 _"What is it doing out here?"_

 _"Be careful! It might try to rob you when you're not looking..."_

 _"It might bite you, too! Who knows what kind of diseases it has?!"_

 _Miyuki found herself shrinking away from the people that walked passed her, her ears falling back as she continued to hug herself tightly, while she trekked her way through the Rukon District that was her home. She flinched almost every time she heard the word "it," knowing too well that those words were meant about her. The eyes of the civilians standing nearby continued to stare at her as if she were a walking freak show set out to capture the attention of the masses. Their expressions varied from person to person; some looked disturbed at the sight they saw, some were disgusted, and others downright glared at her. It was as though she had said or done something to upset them, but what that was she did not know. She did not even have to look at them to know their lips were moving as they murmured to themselves, making comments amongst their companions. Unfortunately for her, Miyuki could hear every last word they uttered, knowing exactly what they were thinking and saying when they laid their eyes on her. They were mortified, disgusted, and unkind; any person with a sane enough mind would question how they could talk about a little girl in such a manner. However, these were things that Miyuki had grown used to over time, and she knew too well that any sane person that may have been here was more than likely already gone._

 _Attempting to ignore the words they spoke, Miyuki silently continued her trek forward, keeping her eyes glued straight ahead while her ears fell back. There were not that many people out and about that day, but those that were standing outside made her feel uncomfortable. She felt vulnerable in this dog-eat-dog world, and she was worried that one of those dogs would jump out and latch onto her without giving her the chance to fight back. The looks that some had made the feeling that much worse, feeling the stares on her back as if they were trying to burn or stab her. She may have had to deal with it often, but it was hard to ignore when all she wanted to do was walk to her place of living in peace. Unless she changed her appearance altogether, there was no escape from their cold stares and their crude remarks._

 _That day, however, felt different, and for Miyuki, it was not the good kind._

 _As she continued walking, Miyuki's ears perked up when she heard the shuffling feet of a nearby civilian move in front of her. Amber eyes glanced up moments before she stopped. She saw a man standing her path, glaring down at her intensely, while several other individuals moved to stand beside him. It was enough to make her shiver as she took a small step back._

 _"Please, sir," she meekly spoke, trying to keep her composure by avoiding eye contact. "Let me pass. I'm only trying to get home." She took a small step forward. "I don't want any-"_

 _"Don't get any closer, you mutt!" The man snapped. Miyuki flinched, stepping away from the man once again. "Who said it was okay for a creature like you to roam these streets?!"_

 _"B-but...but I-I..." She slowly spoke, stuttering on her words."I-I live here."_

 _"You're only a guest here!" Another man from behind the leader shouted at her. "No one wants you here! Don't you get it?"_

 _Miyuki whimpered, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She was afraid of this happening, but she never knew when it would occur. However, instead of arguing with them, she tried to walk past them while keeping her head down. Unfortunately, when she brushed up against the leading man, she suddenly found herself falling onto her back. Pain shot through her stomach as the wind was knocked out of her, causing her to cough and grip her stinging stomach._

 _"That...that hurt!" Miyuki exclaimed before having another coughing fit._

 _"How dare you touch me, you monster!" The man shouted. "Who the hell do you think you are walking up to us like that?!"_

 _Fed up, Miyuki sat up and shouted, "I just want to get home, and you're in the way! Where the hell am I supposed to go if you're standing there like a wall?!" Before she knew it, she was back on the ground again, only this time, the man's foot was on her neck. She struggled against him, attempting to push against the foot but failing miserably as she struggled to breathe. "G-get...off me!" She exclaimed between breaths._

 _"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!" The man snapped. "I ought to beat you into the dirt for talking to me like that!"_

 _"Didn't you listen the first time?" A woman within the crowd shouted at him as his weight continued to constrict Miyuki's breathing. "She might bite or scratch you! Who knows what kind of diseases that little monster is carrying?!"_

 _"I don't care what this thing has!" The man snapped before raising his foot and slamming it into Miyuki's stomach, causing her to yelp in pain. "This thing needs to show some respect if it knows what's best!"_

 _After another coughing fit, Miyuki weakly asked, "W-why should...why should I...respect someone...like you...?"_

 _The man looked down at her._

 _"'Scuse me?" He hissed. "You got something to say, freak?"_

 _Miyuki struggled against his foot again as she went on to say, "I don't...respect people...who can't respect me. Especially someone who thinks...it's okay to beat up...a little girl."_

 _The man roared with laughter at Miyuki's attempt at fending for herself, joined by some of the others that stood nearby._

 _"A little girl?" He questioned, leaning down and adding more weight to Miyuki's small body. "I don't see anything other than a walking and talking creature who thinks it has a purpose." Miyuki did not say anything back, struggling against him and the tears that were now visible in her eyes. "Aw, look! It's gonna cry! Gotta admit. You've got a knack for acting, but..." He removed his foot from her stomach, giving her a chance to breathe as she turned over and began coughing, but it was not long before he kicked her again. He laughed as she cried out and collapsed moments before she began silently sobbing. "Now beat it, you little freak. Before I decide to do much worse than that."_

 _Miyuki did not respond as the man walked away, leaving her in the dirt. Instead, she chose to keep quiet as she held her stomach, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed from the pain she received physically and mentally. She could hear the people that were watching start laughing at her pathetic state, not even bothering to step over and help her to her feet. She felt helpless, alone, and utterly terrified. She feared that making the wrong move or saying something out of line would get her into worse trouble than she had already gotten in. No matter how nice she tried to be, no matter how much she avoided eye contact and speaking with anyone, it still felt like she had done something wrong. She wondered why she even bothered stepping outside when she had no one there to be by her side to stand with her._

 _ **This is your fate...**_

 _Miyuki's eyes shot open the moment she heard a mysterious voice, her ears perking up almost instantly. She could still hear the laughter bouncing off invisible walls and echoing around her, but it started to become fainter as time went on. Eventually, the world became silent, as if time had been halted for just a moment. Blinking, Miyuki struggled to move into a kneeling position, keeping one arm wrapped around her stomach, but only managed to keep herself on one hand and both knees. The pain was too much, but she needed to find out who was speaking._

 _ **You can't escape from it...**_

 _"Who...is that...?" She questioned out loud. Despite the fear of being attacked again, the atmosphere around her began to shift. It did not feel like she was in the streets of Rukon anymore but in some otherworldly location. "Who's saying that...?"_

 _ **Everyone hates you...**_

 _There it was again, that mysterious voice. Miyuki looked to either side of her in the hopes of seeing the person, or anyone really, but she became surprised when everything around her seemed to be frozen in time. The people that resided near the buildings, watching in silence at the scene before them, seemed to be stagnant in their positions. They were unmoving as if they were completely oblivious to what was going on. Miyuki blinked, her jaw slacking slightly in utter surprise and awe. She was unsure as to what was happening around her, and the more she looked around, the more fearful she became. What was going on?_

 _"What's...what's happening?" She whimpered, hugging herself as she looked around. "Who's out there?"_

 _ **Nobody wants you...**_

 _"Stop it!" She shouted, throwing her hands over her ears in an attempt to block out the voice._

 _ **You are a freak...**_

 _"Please! Leave me alone! Just leave me alone!"_

 _ **You are a monster...**_

 _"That's...that's not true!"_

 _ **You are ugly...**_

 _Miyuki shot to her feet in anger, fighting against the pain, before looking around her. Her tears still streamed down her face, yet she did nothing to wipe them away. The voice that spoke replaced the laughter, echoing around her and repeating the phrases it spoke over and over again. She started to go mad as she began clawing at her ears in the hopes that it would go away. Unfortunately, it was not enough. Not matter how hard she tried, the voices still resounded around her. It got to the point where all she could do was bury her face in her hands and sob uncontrollably._

 _ **No one will accept you...**_

 _Another phrase was thrown into the madness, another phrase to aid in the spiral that had become Miyuki's mind. Yet she said nothing more. Instead, she continued to sob. Why did life make her this way? Why did they make her different from everyone else around her? Why was she not allowed to live a normal life like the others? What did she do to deserve this treatment, and why? Those questions and numerous more flooded into her mind as if the floodgates had been torn down and set free to run rampant. She wanted it to stop. She wanted it all to be over, to live a normal life with her family and never have people look at her strangely or judge her for her appearance. She wanted someone, anyone, to just step away from the crowd and save her._

 _Suddenly, the voices around her ceased their endless loop of torture, leaving behind nothing but silence in their wake. Just as that happened, Miyuki's ears perked up, and she slowly stopped sobbing, realizing that the voices had vanished from existence. It took a moment, but when she was certain that they were gone, she slowly lifted her head, wiping away any excess tears that had been left behind, and looked forward. Instead of finding herself in the streets of Rukon as she expected, she was shocked to find herself standing in an entirely empty void. Not a single sound could be heard, and the familiar buildings of her home were nowhere in sight. The sky was nonexistent, the floor was nowhere to be found, not even the breeze could be felt in this place. Those thoughts and more lead her to believe that she was actually all alone in the strange new place._

 _At least, that was what she initially thought._

 _Before that idea could set in, Miyuki suddenly felt the presence of another person nearby. This person was not some ordinary person that had been picked up off the streets and placed here, though, and Miyuki was certain of that. Instead, it was someone that she recognized, someone that she had known for many years during her days in Rukon. Just to be certain, Miyuki closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, catching the familiar scent of lavender in her nostrils. She knew that scent from anywhere; it is hard to forget. However, even though she knew this fact, she still found herself slowly turning around to look at her as if looking over her shoulder would be the last thing she ever did. As expected, she found another person, another little girl, standing behind her. The stranger's back was facing Miyuki, but the fox girl knew well enough that she was looking at a little girl, a little girl she recognized all too well._

 _"...You..." She whispered though it sounded as though she had spoken in a normal tone of voice. The little girl did not respond, keeping her back facing the fox girl while her head seemed to hang low. Her light_ _purple hair, long and reaching the middle of her back, as well as her dress did not appear to move, indicating the lack of a breeze within this strange world. "You...you left me..." Miyuki spoke again, only this time, it was a bit louder as she turned to face the girl. Once again, Miyuki was met with silence. She frowned at that, expecting the response, and took a step toward her. "You said...you said that you were my friend. Why would you abandon me like that?"_

 _The little girl did not respond to the question, seemingly ignoring her altogether. That, or she did not seem to hear her. However, Miyuki did watch as she raised her head to look forward. She remained that way for what seemed like an eternity, staring into nothing but the void in silence. Miyuki stayed patient, waiting for the girl to say something, anything, to her. She wanted to hear her voice again. She wanted to know the answers to the questions she had lingering in her mind, the questions that had plagued her for so many years. She wanted to know the reason why that girl had abandoned her the way she did. Unfortunately, those answers would never come. Instead of doing that, the little girl began to walk away from her, leaving Miyuki in the darkness by herself._

 _"W-wait!" Miyuki called out as she began to chase after her. The pain had long since passed from her system, and she used all the strength she had to run after the girl. However, no matter how hard she ran, the girl continued to move further and further away from Miyuki. It was as though Miyuki was incapable of moving forward, only allowed to run in place and watch helplessly. "Come back! I need to know the answer!" She called out to her again, extending her hand out in a vain attempt to reach her. "Don't go! Please!"_

 _Once again, the girl did not respond and continued walking, slowly but surely disappearing into the darkness. Miyuki picked up her pace, sprinting as hard as her legs could carry her, as she desperately tried to reach for her. However, it was no use. By the time she had reached her limit, the girl had long since disappeared from sight, leaving her alone once again. The realization of the fact that she was, once again, on her own, made Miyuki slow down to a halt right before collapsing to the ground, panting as she tried to catch her breath again. Tears, once again, began streaming down her face as she began to cry to herself. Her legs felt like they were on fire, and moving them felt like she was trying to lift cinder blocks. The emotional toll that had fallen upon her shoulders weighed her down to the point where she did not want to move._

 _"Please..." She whimpered, slowly moving so that she had curled into a ball. Her ears had fallen back, and her tail wrapped around her. "Don't leave me alone." She shut her eyes tightly. "Don't leave me behind like this. Not again..."_

 _She remained that way for what seemed like an eternity, silently crying to herself and hugging herself tightly. It was not long, however, before her crying slowly ceased, and she ended up falling into a deep sleep, praying to whatever being existed that she would wake up from this nightmare._

* * *

"AAAHHH!"

Miyuki shrieked in terror as she shot up in her bed, throwing off her blanket in the process. She was panting and breaking into a sweat, and her eyes were wide with surprise. She began looking around the room in a frantic state, her ears twitching as she listened for anything out of the ordinary. Not to her surprise, the only sound she could hear was the distance sounds of crickets coming from the outside while everything else seemed silent.

She continued to sit up on her bed, allowing herself to catch her breath and cool down for a moment before she sighed shakily and buried her face in her hands.

 _It was a dream..._ She told herself as she slowly ran her hands back through her hair, grazing over her fox ears and holding them down. _It was...nothing more than a dream..._

Despite convincing herself of that fact, she still found it difficult to believe in its entirety. It was supposed to be a dream, and yet it felt like everything that had taken place within that dream was real. A mild sense of deja vu washed over her when she looked back on it, relaying everything that she witnessed within her head several times to better understand it. It had to be just a dream; that was what it was supposed to be. At least, that was what Miyuki desperately tried to convince herself. It was not until she looked back on it a few more times that she started to realize that only part of it was meant to be a dream. The beginning of it, however, was a memory from her past, a past she desperately tried to forget and one that had continuously haunted her since her arrival in the Soul Society.

The realization of that fact made Miyuki shutter, causing her to hug herself in a similar manner to the end of her dream.

"Why are they coming back?" She muttered out loud, position her legs closer to her chest so that she could hug them instead. "I don't want to think about that anymore. That's...that's the past..." She frowned and buried her face into her knees. "I'm here now, in the Soul Society. People...people like being around me. They...they like me."

Even though she said those things out loud to herself, an ever growing presence of doubt began to creep up her back and sink into the back of her mind. People did like being around her, they saw her as one of their friends, and she was accepted by them. She was welcomed as part of the group, and she was happy. She was happier than she had ever been in a long time because things were different. Things were different, and life as she knew it was better than what it used to be.

After a moment, Miyuki sighed once again, hugging her knees tighter and keeping her face hidden from view. She was accepted into this new life, and she had people who cared about her...

...Right?


	6. Unexpected Visit

A sigh of relief escaped from Yukie's lips as she took a few steps back, observing the entirety of her room with an intent stare. Her blue eyes scanned over every little aspect of her bedroom, taking extra precautions to make sure everything was neat and tidy. The bed was fixed, the floor had been swept and mopped, and the sweet scent of vanilla wafted through the air from the incense she had placed on her bedside table. After taking another moment to glance over everything, a warm smile formed on her lips as she removed the bandana from atop her head.

"Finally finished," she muttered with a sigh of relief, smoothing back her dark hair to push away any loose strands. "I'm glad I had gotten the day off today. I needed to give a good cleaning to my room."

It certainly felt like an eternity since Yukie had been able to take a day to herself, a day where she could relax and not have to worry about getting any paperwork finished for her captain. As a means to treat herself, she decided to spend time cleaning up her room, concerned that she had not been able to do so in quite a while and wanted to spend time making sure it was decent. It was a relaxing time, she realized, as she could spend as long as she wanted cleaning and to make sure everything was just to her liking. However, despite enjoying the time she had to herself, she still could not help but realize she had finished cleaning everything in her room by the time noon had struck. It was bittersweet thought when she came to the conclusion that she had cleaned her room a little too quickly, but at the same time, at least the room would smell clean and leave her feeling satisfied.

Suddenly, a concerned look crossed over Yukie's features, causing her to glance over her shoulder toward the direction of her front door. She could not help but frown and furrow her brows as she continued to stare.

"I sure hope everything back at the barracks is okay," she mumbled worriedly as she began twiddling her fingers. "I mean, I-I'm sure everything is fine. Renji and Amarante are capable of handling themselves, so I shouldn't have to worry." She paused, thinking about her fellow subordinates before a distressed look crossed her features. "B-but...w-what if they have a lot of work to do? I'm not there to assist them, so if they get bombarded with a ton of work..."

Yukie suddenly went pale at the thought, and the only sound that escaped her was a groan of distress.

For anyone else that was in her position, the mere thought of going back to work during a day off was ridiculous and laughable. It certainly sounded like the anxious thoughts of a workaholic who had never taken a day off in their life. Unfortunately, for Yukie, she just so happened to have those thoughts and more running through her head as she looked toward her front door. Granted, she has had plenty of days to herself in the past, though it was not the first time she contemplated going back to at least check on everyone and see if everything was in order. She may not have been a captain or lieutenant by any means, but it would have been no surprise if she ended up becoming one without much she wanted to stay and work. Not even some of the current captains and lieutenants were as dedicated to their jobs as she was to hers.

However, despite her dedication to doing well in her field of work, even her fellow subordinates were worried that she might have been working too much. In fact, the only reason she had gotten a day off this time was due to Renji being genuinely concerned about her health and well-being. She may have not appeared to be exhausted or stressed out about the work she had, but the last time she was given time off was at least six months ago, and Renji was not about to have that last another day.

That thought alone caused Yukie to groan in defeat, sagging her head and shoulders.

"Renji will just tell me to go home if I even attempt to go back," she muttered out loud. "He'll say everything is fine and that I need to have this day off." She sighed again as she thought about it for another moment, turning back to look around her freshly cleaned bedroom. "Maybe...he is right. Maybe I do need to take this day off. Take some time to relax." She stood there for a long moment, thinking about everything that was running through her mind and weighing her options. Then, despite what she had spoken moments before, she frowned again before exiting her bedroom and storming toward the entrance of her home. "But, since I just finished cleaning, I can just take a peek and make sure they don't need an extra pair of hands."

With that in mind, she approached her front door, taking her Zanpakuto in hand and sliding it into place on her waist, before tossing open the door. If there were any issues, she had to be there to assist in fixing those problems. She may not be allowed back, but she did not want to live with the idea that something could have happened that was preventable. She would be devastated, and she would never forgive herself.

Before she was even able to leave her room, however, she suddenly shrieked in terror as she caught sight of a person standing in front of her, stepping back and tripping over her own feet in the process. She landed on the floor with a thud, though she was quick to look back up to see who it was that had frightened her. To her surprise, she found herself staring up the fatigued and slightly cringing form that was Miyuki Shimizu, hunched over and trying desperately to keep herself awake. Her amber eyes were half-lidded as she stared forward, and it did not seem as if she had taken much time to comb her hair properly. It certainly did not look bad by any means, but it appeared as if she did not take as much time on it as she normally would on any other day.

It took the young brunette a moment to realize that she had nearly given poor Yukie a heart attack because of her appearance and seemingly cold stare, but even when she did, she did not appear as fazed as she normally would have been. Excluding the cringing she did before, she did not seem to react in any other way.

"Sorry about that, Yukie," she slurred her words moments before yawning and stretching her arms. "Didn't mean to scare you like that."

"M-Miyuki?!" Yukie exclaimed, quickly rising to her feet and rushing to Miyuki's side. "You look exhausted! Are you okay?"

"Yeah...kind of..." Miyuki responded as Yukie led her into the room as quickly as possible. "Maybe...? I don't know anymore..."

"You sound really out of it, Miyuki," Yukie said worriedly as she sat the young woman down on her couch, careful so as to not allow her just to plop down. She took a moment to make sure she was sitting upright before continuing. "You look as if you didn't get any sleep last night." Miyuki glanced at Yukie briefly before mumbling something incoherent under her breath at those words, confusing Yukie. "Hm? What was that?"

"Maybe..." Miyuki mumbled louder for her to hear. She sounded reminiscent of a child that had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

The words made Yukie sigh as she stood up straight and placed a hand on her chest.

"How about I fix you some tea to help you wake up?" She suggested with a small smile. "I'm not sure if that will help at all, but it's certainly worth a shot." Her smile grew a bit as she placed a hand on Miyuki's head in a friendly manner. In an instant, Miyuki's eyes shot open, and she tensed up so fast Yukie could not help but give her a questioning look. "What is it, Miyuki?"

Miyuki continued to stare into space, her expression visibly showing her uncomfortable state, before she slowly stuttered, "Y-your hand...Yukie. I...I don't wanna be touched there. R-remember...?"

It took a moment for Yukie to realize what she meant, but when she did, she gasped and quickly retracted her hand from Miyuki's head. Miyuki instantly relaxed the moment she did so, and she sighed.

"S-sorry about that, Miyuki," Yukie apologized sheepishly as she began walking to the kitchen to start on the tea. Before she disappeared, she looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly. "But you do remember that I already know what's under there in the first place, so you don't have to wear that when you're with me."

Miyuki flinched when she said that but said nothing as Yukie disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the fox girl alone to think to herself.

Despite how long she had known the Sixth Seat of Squad Six, Miyuki often forgot about the fact that Yukie was the only person to know about her secret. Yukie Murakami was the only person to know about her fox ears and tail that she had spent many years hiding. Because of how desperate she was to keep it a secret, that little-known fact seemed to slip Miyuki's mind more often than not, leading her to become uncomfortable when Yukie would make moves like that. The discovery itself was, in no way, Yukie's fault, however, and Miyuki knew this all too well. It was why she was not able to be upset with her when she realized it. Miyuki remembered that it was the unexpected result of an injury in battle and, when Yukie tried to heal her, she ended up discovering the secret. However, according to Yukie herself, she was quick to make sure no one else had seen what she had found. In a way, she seemed to become more aware of why Miyuki wore the attire that she did so often. Since that day, Yukie was adamant about trying to help Miyuki be more accepting of who she was and to be happy with herself, that she was beautiful the way she was and that nothing was wrong with her. Unfortunately, despite her kindness and determination, Yukie had been unsuccessful in convincing the fox girl of this fact, often leading to Miyuki becoming much more depressed and unhappy.

The journey of self-acceptance and self-love was certainly a long and challenging one, but Yukie was adamant about getting Miyuki to that point, even if it took a lifetime. It was hard to deny that Miyuki felt somewhat surprised and happy that she went through all that trouble just for her.

After a moment of consideration, Miyuki, with a trembling hand, slowly removed the large bandana that hid her ears, allowing them to perk up and twitch for a moment before relaxing them. It was certainly strange to leave them out the way she did, but if it made Yukie happy, Miyuki was certainly willing to try getting used to not wearing it.

"So, Miyuki," Yukie called out to her from within the kitchen, grabbing Miyuki's attention almost instantly. "You said that you had trouble sleeping last night. Did something happen?"

Miyuki blinked and remained silent for a moment, trying to find the right words to say without sounding ridiculous, before she turned her head toward the floor. Her ears fell back in the process as well.

"I, uh..." She slowly started as she twiddled her thumbs nervously. "I...had a nightmare last night." It sounded ridiculous when she said it as if she were a child who had gone into her parents' bedroom and cried about a nightmare. "It was...really vivid, and...it kept me awake for most of the night."

As she said that, Yukie returned to the room and looked at her from the doorway. The feeling of Yukie's gaze on her made Miyuki shift uncomfortably in her spot. She still felt weird with the idea that Yukie may have been staring at her ears in a negative manner, but she said nothing as the dark haired maiden approached her before taking a seat. A look of genuine concern was on her face as she looked at Miyuki; she did not seem to be aware of Miyuki's agitated state this time, but Miyuki made no notion of it.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Yukie said, placing a gentle hand on her back and rubbing it gently. "Do you mind if I ask what it was about?"

Miyuki continued to fiddle her fingers nervously, contemplating how she was going to tell her.

"Well...it felt a lot more like a memory from my days in Rukon more than an actual dream," she began to explain. "At least, at first it seemed like one."

Yukie sat back a little bit to become more comfortable.

"Did you want to talk about it?" She asked, keeping her gaze on Miyuki's face as if she were looking at her expression for an answer. Miyuki shifted in her seat briefly, her eyes moving along with her. "I mean, you don't have to if you're not comfortable."

After a moment, Miyuki looked at her.

"I think talking about it will help, but I don't know if it'll help with figuring out the meaning," she stated calmly. Yukie smiled as she leaned forward a bit, waiting for Miyuki to explain her story. With a huff, Miyuki looked forward again. "Well, it started out with one of my old memories. It's hard to think about, but it involved the people I used to live around...treating me really...well, poorly."

Yukie's smile fell instantly and was replaced with a look of worry.

"It...wasn't too harsh, was it?" She inquired.

Miyuki wanted to shake her head, tell her friend that it was nothing too serious, but all she could do was shrug.

"I was...verbally attacked at first..." She explained. "They made comments about me, told me that I didn't belong there and that I probably had a disease or something." She shrugged again; it looked as if she were left unfazed by the negative comments, though, having lived through so many years that looking back left her almost numb. For Yukie, however, she was greatly disturbed by it. "After that, one of them kicked me to the ground a bit before they left me alone."

"Miyuki, that's terrible," Yukie commented, placing a hand on her back and rubbing it gently. "How can you say that with such a straight face? It must be so hard looking back on it."

Miyuki glanced away.

"I mean...it's hard to think about," she pointed out. "But...I guess I've become so immune to it all that it just comes off as me being unfazed." Her ears fell back as her head lowered a bit. "It's kind of sad to look back on. It isn't exactly good to hold all the feelings in, but I suppose I've done all my crying over time." She glanced Yukie, who still appeared to be worried, before smiling. "I mean, I don't have to worry about that anymore. I've...I've got friends now, so I shouldn't have to worry. Right?"

Yukie's brows furrowed at that, but instead of saying otherwise, she forced a kind smile.

"Y-yeah, that's right," she answered with a quick nod. Her smile, then, faded a bit. "So...what else happened in the dream?"

Miyuki raised her head a bit as a thoughtful look crossed her features. She was silent during that time, and Yukie waited patiently for her to speak.

"Well, that's where it gets weird," the fox girl spoke slowly. Yukie tilted her head to one side a bit as Miyuki continued. "After all that happened, I started hearing this strange voice." She paused as she looked back on the dream. "It's hard to say who it was exactly, but it certainly did sound familiar." Her gaze fell once more. "It was saying weird things like 'This is my fate' and 'I can't escape from it.'" Her hands clenched suddenly, which caught Yukie's attention almost instantly. "It even started telling me that...everyone hated me."

"Miyuki..." Yukie could not help but utter.

"It said that I was a monster, that I was ugly and no one would accept me," Miyuki went on to say, her gaze becoming blank and void of emotion. "Suddenly, I was surrounded by nothing but darkness. Everything else was gone...except for one thing. One person, I should say."

Yukie blinked as Miyuki suddenly went silent again, her head dropping and allowing her hair to shield her face.

"Who...who was it?" She pressed. She became invested in hearing more, trying to piece together what it all meant, yet she tried her best not to sound too desperate to learn more.

Miyuki did not answer her question, remaining silent as she continued to stare at the floor beneath her. However, it was not long before her head glanced toward the kitchen, her ears perking up almost immediately.

"The water is done boiling," she stated plainly.

The comment confused Yukie briefly, causing her brows to furrow, but her expression changed instantly the moment the whistling sound of the kettle going off. Within moments, she gasped and jumped from her seat, nearly sprinting to the kitchen to remove it and leaving Miyuki behind once more. The fox girl quietly watched her leave with a small smile, feeling relieved that she did not have to continue with the dream.

As much as she wanted to continue with it, she could feel herself becoming more and more unsettled at the thought of reliving that dream. The memories of her past were upsetting to think about as it was, even after training herself not to cry when looking back on it, but she could still feel her heart aching at the thoughts. She did not want to remind herself of a life she no longer lived, as things were starting to look up for her now that she resided in the Soul Society. She had friends around her, people who looked out for her and saw her as an equal, and she was living as happily as she possibly could. Not a day went by when she did not thank whatever higher beings existed for the opportunity she had been given. However, no matter how much she wished to deny it, looking back on the life she once had was difficult not to do. It was her way of reminding herself to cherish what she had, to be grateful that the people she surrounded herself with treated her like a person, not like some animal or monster. No longer did she have to worry about being given cold stares nor did she worry about being attacked at random. She did not have to worry about people treating her less than dirt anymore. Instead, she was treated like anyone else: like a person.

It did not take long, however, for Miyuki's ears to fall back as a sigh escaped her lips. Then again, she had to remind herself that not everyone knew the truth. Not everyone knew just what she was hiding, and she feared that things would instantly change the moment her secret was out. It was nerve wracking to think about, but she still continued to live in constant fear of what she believed to be a possible inevitability. What if it was all an act? What if the people she called her friends immediately turned away from her the moment they learned the truth? So many questions like that and more swirled within her mind, so much that her head began to ache. She did not want to know what would happen if the truth came out. She was scared of what the others would think of her, especially her teammates.

What would Akemi say? What about Captain Zaraki and Lieutenant Kusajishi? How about Ikkaku? Or even...

The last one made her cringe, resisting the urge to hug herself out of fear of Yukie returning to see her. What would someone like Yumichika say if he learned her secret? Especially after...

"Miyuki?" The sound of her name made the fox girl jump in surprise. Her head shot over to the noise immediately, locking eyes with a worried looking Yukie standing at the doorway. It was evident from her expression that she noticed Miyuki's look. After a moment, a genuinely kind look appeared. "Miyuki, I said it before, and I'll say it a hundred more times if I have to. You don't have to be afraid of people judging you here. We're all different and strange in our own way, but..." She smiled warmly, "...but it doesn't make us any less of a person. And that goes for you as well."

Miyuki blinked at her words, her lips parted as she stared in awe over Yukie's word.

"Yukie..." She muttered out loud, unable to form any other sentences as she processed everything.

Yukie's smile grew.

"You don't have to worry about if your friends are like the people that treated you so harshly because they aren't going to do that," she assured the fox girl. "If I have yet to discriminate you for what you looked like, who's to say the others are going to do that?"

Miyuki's eyes narrowed solemnly as her head lowered a bit.

"I..." She mumbled, folding her hands on her lap. "I suppose so..." Suddenly, after taking a moment to think about it, she quickly shook her head and looked away. "B-but even if I wanted to tell them now, there's no way I could do it!" She cringed. "I'm...I'm scared."

"It's okay to be scared! And it's okay if you don't feel ready right now," Yukie informed her, folding her hands behind her back. "When the time comes for you to share your secret, you'll feel it in your heart. You won't feel scared anymore. You won't have to hide away. You'll feel..." Yukie paused and thought for a moment, trying to find the right words. It was not long before she brightened up again. "You'll feel free. I think that's the right word, but that's the first thing that came to mind."

Miyuki slowly looked back at Yukie, the awed look she had moments ago appearing on her face once again. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but she held it back as best as she could as she began to smile brightly.

"Yeah, I...I think you're right," she agreed. "I'll keep that in mind just in case."

With a warm smile of her own, Yukie gestured for her friend to join her in the kitchen.

"Come on. I just finished making your tea," the dark haired maiden said before disappearing into the kitchen again. "After this, we can head back to the Squad Eleven barracks. I'm sure everyone is wondering where you wandered off to."

Giggling, Miyuki got to her feet and stretched once again, her ears flicking back and forth, as she began walking to the kitchen.

On the outside, she appeared to be invigorated, excited for the idea that, one day, she would have the strength to reveal her secret and to not be afraid. On the inside, however, she wondered if Yukie's words would ring true. Would Miyuki feel all of those things and just know, or were those words just meant to be reassuring from a kind friend? Miyuki feared the answer to that was only shrouded in darkness and would remain there for a long time.


	7. Sparring Match (Part I)

The walk back to the barracks of her squad was certainly helpful and relaxing for Miyuki, especially while she was in the company of Yukie. Not only did she feel more awake than ever before – the tea certainly helped quite a bit – but she did not have to walk all the way back by herself. Even though she had no issues with walking on her own in the past, she greatly preferred being in the company of someone she could speak with rather than being alone since it made the time go by much faster for her. Not only that, but it had been quite some time since Miyuki had seen Yukie when she was not working. Being the workaholic that she tended to be sometimes, it was difficult to even pull Yukie aside for a moment without her worrying about getting straight back to work. Even on a day like today, when she was having a day off, she was ready to walk back to work had it not been for Miyuki accidentally frightening her. Nevertheless, being in her company was a pleasant – and rather unexpected – chance of events.

As the two walked together, they kept themselves occupied with some chit chat, conversing about different topics that came to mind as a means of passing the time. Whether it was about something they had seen or something they remembered from the past, it was something rather than silence, though a comfortable silence did take over a few times during the walk. Fortunately, it was because of this that they had reached the Squad Eleven barracks much sooner than they had anticipated, or at least it certainly felt that way, and they spent the last few minutes reaching the dojo. Miyuki was expecting the others to be there, and it was not long before she was able to catch their scent to know she was right. Yukie did not bother asking Miyuki why, and she merely accepted it. They knew their comrades well enough to assume otherwise, especially when one of those comrades enjoyed picking fights with others just for fun.

As they approached the door, Miyuki could hear the growing sounds of wooden swords clashing against one another moments before a few thuds erupted. Hearing them made her realize two things: Ikkaku was, yet again, picking fights as she and Yukie anticipated, and Miyuki was unsure if she had returned her bandana back to her head before leaving Yukie's home.

Upon that realization, Miyuki's hand suddenly fell against her head, patting it a few times to double check that her ears were hidden. Yukie looked over to notice her panicked expression, and she could not help but smile at the sight.

"Did you forget that you put it on before we left?" She asked with a light giggle.

Miyuki's gaze shifted as she blushed in embarrassment, returning her hand to her side once again.

"N-no..." She mumbled. "I-I just wanted to make sure it was secure since I could hear Ikkaku fighting in there."

Yukie's smile grew a bit; she knew it was a lie, but she decided against pointing that out. Better to not make her feel even more embarrassed than she already was.

"Ah, that's understandable," she said as she stopped in front of the door. "Well, we've arrived, so I guess we should go in and watch, right?"

Miyuki stopped to stand next to her, stealing a glance in her direction, before nodding in response. With a nod of her own, Yukie slid open the door and allowed Miyuki to enter first before following suit.

As they entered and shut the door behind them, they came to the realization that, not to their surprise, the fighting had ceased. Ikkaku, as usual, was the only one standing above the rest, a cold look in his eyes as he stared down the crowd that had formed around him. Some of his opponents that had fought him had been knocked unconscious and dragged back into the crowd while others had crawled away from him, praying that he would not go after them next. Looking at many of the members carefully, Miyuki could see that many of the men that stood nearby had been covered in bruises, appearing as if they had taken quite the beating from the Third Seat. The ones that appeared unscathed seemed to have fearful looks in their eyes, shaking like leaves that were ready to fall in autumn, as they stared at the menacing form of Ikkaku, who eyed them coldly. As expected, he did not appear to have a scratch on him, and it was only a matter of time before he smirked triumphantly.

"What's the matter, boys?" He asked out loud, causing the uninjured members to quiver even more. It was obvious he was referring to them. "Afraid to get the same treatment as your friends? What kind of reapers are you if you're scared to get a few bumps and bruises along the way?"

Miyuki blinked before stealing a glance at Yukie, smiling as she noticed the faint blush on the dark haired maiden's pale cheeks. Evidently, it came as no surprise that, despite Ikkaku's cockiness, Yukie was pleased to see that he was having fun. However, Miyuki did not stare for very long as looked back at the scene again, and it was not long before her attention was grabbed by another friend in the room.

"Look at what you did, Ikkaku," whined Akemi. Miyuki and Yukie looked in her direction, spotting her standing near Yumichika while she waved a hand at Ikkaku. "You scared the daylights out of them! I told you this was bound to happen at some point if you kept it up long enough."

Ikkaku sent a blank look into Akemi's direction, oblivious to Yumichika gesturing the two women to come closer.

"Hey, it's not my fault they dropped off a bunch of chickens to our squad!" He told her. "I try to get them into shape, and they just cower away with their tails between their legs!" He glared at the rest of the members. "Just look at them. They're all pathetic if you ask me."

Akemi sighed before glancing at Miyuki and Yukie as they approached. She was quick to flash a small smile at them, pleased to see they had arrived, but the smile suddenly vanished as her expression changed to one of realization. Miyuki blinked and stared at her curiously. It looked as if an idea had popped into Akemi's head, and this was only confirmed when Akemi looked back at Ikkaku.

"Then why don't you fight someone that'll put up a decent fight?" She suggested to him. Her words piqued his interest as he looked at her again, raising a questioning brow. "Don't get me wrong," she continued nonchalantly as she shrugged, "these guys are certainly here for a reason. But if you want a powerful opponent, none of them are gonna be as tough as, say," She smirked devilishly, "a seated officer." Ikkaku continued to look at her with interest along with the others, though silence remained in the room. When she realized this, she dropped her hands to her sides and let out a huff. " _So_ , why don't you try fighting someone that is _seated_ rather than someone fresh from the academy?"

Ikkaku immediately smirked at that, placing the wooden sword against his shoulder casually.

"So, how about you and I go at it and show them how it's done?" He offered. "It's been a long time since we've had a good fight. _And_ you are a seated officer, after all."

As tempting as the offer was, to his surprise and the surprise of her comrades, Akemi shook her head and denied the request.

"Oddly enough," she answered coolly, "I'm not in the mood to fight today."

The response caused Ikkaku to stare at her in surprise for a moment before glaring.

"If you're not gonna fight, then why even make the suggestion?!" He snapped frustratedly. "I was sure you were hinting at yourself when you brought it up, so what gives?"

Akemi shrugged casually and answered, "I'm just not in the mood today. I'd much rather be a bystander than a fighter today."

With an annoyed huff, Ikkaku looked away.

"Well, then who would you rather I'd fight against?" He questioned, trying to calm himself down. "There's only three others to pick from, as far as I can see. And I'm looking at them."

It was at that moment that a devious look formed in Akemi's eyes as she grinned. Moments later, her eyes slowly shifted over to look at Miyuki, who shrank back and shuttered at the sight. An uneasy feeling began to form in her stomach the longer she continued to look into Akemi's eyes. She hated that look; it meant Akemi was up to no good, and no good was what she was planning.

Before Miyuki could ask anything or make a comment, Akemi reached over to her, grabbing her by the front of her uniform, and shoved her to the front. The action caused Miyuki yelp in surprise and trip over her feet, colliding with the floor face first with a loud thud. She heard the other reapers that presided begin muttering under their breaths as she slowly began to return to her feet, rubbing her face and nose along the way to make sure nothing was broken.

"Miyuki, are you okay?!" Yukie called to her. Miyuki did not respond to the question, a bit dazed over the abrupt action and worried about breaking something, though she was fortunate to learn that it was not the case. "Akemi, why did you do that? She could have gotten hurt!"

"That was a bit harsh, Akemi," Yumichika commented as well. "You could've just said her name."

"Oh, she'll be okay! She's a tough cookie, after all," Akemi assured her while Miyuki began to stand. "Besides," Miyuki could almost sense the grin that grew on Akemi's face, "I don't think I've ever seen a fight between Ikkaku and Miyuki, so I think today's the day we change that!"

Horror struck her like a ton of bricks as Miyuki spun around to look at her, amber eyes widening as she began to pale.

"W-wait, what?!" She exclaimed frantically. "Y-you can't be serious!"

"Huh, I guess you're right about that one, Akemi..." Ikkaku could not help but mutter. Miyuki glanced over her shoulder, noticing the wide grin Ikkaku's face as well. "I don't think we've ever had a decent match against each other, Miyuki. Maybe today's the day we change that."

Miyuki began to panic at those words even more than before.

Were they out of their minds? Did they forget that Miyuki was three seats beneath Ikkaku, or was today the day they decided to toss their sanity out the window and just let loose? The sheer thought of her fighting someone as powerful as Ikkaku was one that never crossed her mind. She knew better than to think she could win in a fight against him. He was much stronger than she was, and she could only imagine his speed if he was placed as a third seat. From what she learned from Yumichika, he was powerful enough to become a lieutenant, maybe even a captain, if he was not so loyal to Kenpachi. Hearing those stories and how his love for fighting far surpassed her own made her shiver in fear just thinking about it.

That being said, Akemi had to know that fact all too well. She was the Fourth Seat, after all, only a seat beneath Ikkaku. That said, why decide to pit a Sixth Seat against a Third? It made no sense, and Miyuki was not going to settle for it.

"W-w-wait just a second here!" She exclaimed, turning to Akemi once again. "I-I can't take on the Third Seat, Akemi! Especially not someone like Ikkaku!" Miyuki began waving her arms in front of her frantically. "I'm three seats lower than him! He'll destroy me!"

Akemi looked at her with indifference.

"It's not like you're fighting to kill each other, Miyuki," she pointed out, ignoring the cocky grin that formed on the Third Seat's face while Miyuki stopped waving her arms. "You're fighting just for fun. Nothing more, nothing less." She paused briefly. "Or at the very least, to see how long you can last."

Yumichika glanced at Akemi, furrowing his brows.

"You say that as if you know she'll lose," he stated.

Akemi looked at him plainly and responded, "Oh, of course. Miyuki will most definitely lose to Ikkaku. No doubt about that." Yumichika rolled his eyes while Miyuki whimpered in fear. Yukie pouted at her words, but she could not find the right words to say as Akemi continued. "But, just because we know she'll lose doesn't mean she won't put up a good fight along the way. We're all aware she's much tougher than she looks, so maybe I'll be proven wrong!"

Miyuki groaned.

"This sounds like a terrible idea, Akemi," she whined. "I have nothing against Ikkaku or this idea, but wouldn't it be better to have him fight someone that will put up a fight? You know, someone who isn't-"

Within seconds, Miyuki was silenced by the suddenly cold glare that Akemi had sent her way, staring her down as if the fox girl had committed the most unforgivable crime. The sight alone was enough to keep Miyuki silent, staring back at her with a look of fear.

No matter how mischievous or childlike she became on a daily basis, no matter how often she poked fun at people for the sake of having a good time, staring into the cold and menacing crimson eyes of Akemi Saitou was, by far, a terrifying thing to witness. Even the strongest of fighters was put off by her stare. Seeing Akemi angry for any reason that was not joking was the one thing Miyuki always strived to avoid at all costs. She was always cautious with what she said and being careful with what she talked about in front of her. Even gazing into her eyes now sent a shiver down her spine, making every hair on the back of her neck stand up straight. Miyuki recalled there were very few things that really pushed Akemi's buttons and upset her, buttons that normally would have no effect on her unless they were pushed just enough to reach her breaking point. At least, that was what she remembered from what Yumichika told her. Some days, it would take a little while before she snapped, while other triggers set her off instantly and without any warning. It was not until the person felt her eyes boring into the back of their head that they would realize they had gone too far.

Unfortunately, for Miyuki, it appeared as if today was the day for her to witness it, and she knew the reason why: Akemi _hated_ when Miyuki put down herself down, especially when it came to her strength.

Despite wanting to plead further, Miyuki sighed in defeat, slumping her shoulders in the process.

"Ugh, all right," she grumbled. "I'll do it."

As soon as she said those words, Akemi almost immediately grinned happily and cheered, pushing herself away from the wall and leaving Yumichika and Yukie to stare in surprise over what they had witnessed.

"Now, that's more like it!" She chirped, turning Miyuki around and pushing her forward gleefully. "Keep your eyes open and pay attention, boys! You're about to see a _real_ fight take place!" Miyuki wanted to speak in protest again, but remembering the look Akemi sent her forced her to keep quiet. Reaching the center of the group, Akemi looked over at Ikkaku and caught the wooden sword he had tossed in her direction before looking back at Miyuki. "It's nothing serious, Miyuki." She assured her. "Just have fun with it. Like I said, this isn't a death match, so you have nothing to worry about. Okay?"

With a pat on her shoulder, Akemi stepped away and gave Ikkaku the thumbs up for the fight to begin. The murmuring seemed to grow louder as Miyuki and Ikkaku stood there, staring one another down with differing expressions. Ikkaku appeared to have a look of confidence in his eyes while Miyuki still remained hesitant. She was still worried about fighting him, knowing that the loss would be embarrassing for her, especially when there were so many eyes that were there to witness it. The idea of failing in front of them, as a seated officer, made her start trembling.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Miyuki unconsciously turned her head, looking passed Akemi and the men that stood nearby. Her gaze eventually fell upon Yumichika and Yukie, who merely watched from the background and avoided the crowd. Yumichika's expression appeared to be blank, yet he was looking directly at her. Yukie, on the other hand, seemed to be deeply concerned over what was happening, yet she remained rooted to her spot. Miyuki was unsure as to why she felt the need to look at them as it seemed to do nothing to ease her tense mind, though she made an attempt at putting on a smile as a means to assure them that she was all right with what was going to happen.

If only she was not acutely aware of the fact that they knew she was lying...

"Better keep your focus on the fight!" The familiar voice of Ikkaku shouted at her, grabbing Miyuki's attention. With her smile fading, her gaze shot back toward the Third Seat, who was now running toward her with his weapon in hand. "Don't want you getting hurt because you were distracted!" He went on as he raised his sword in the air and brought it down on her.

Miyuki merely blinked in response and inhaled. The fight was beginning, and she only needed a moment to react.

A sense of shock swept through the room as Miyuki swiftly and easily dodged Ikkaku's attack, stepping to the side just seconds before the wooden sword could strike her. The movement was quick, almost on par with a simple flash step, and it left Ikkaku shocked at how fast she dodged. The look of shock instantly contorted to one of pain as, without missing a beat, Miyuki swung her sword and slammed it into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him, before taking a few steps away and turning to face him again. She watched intently as Ikkaku caught himself with his sword, keeping himself off the ground while taking a moment to catch his breath. There may not have been a lot of strength behind the strike, but the speed in which she attacked was something he did not expect from someone like her.

Feeling pleased with what she had done, Miyuki could not help but grin triumphantly.

"Trust me, Ikkaku," she spoke moments before the Third Seat shot a glare in her direction. "I learned my lesson the first time. Don't expect me to make the same mistake twice."

It was at that moment that Ikkaku began smirking as he returned to his feet and faced her, his weapon held tightly in his hands.

"About time you had that look in your eyes. I was waiting for it," the Third Seat commented as Miyuki prepared herself for another attack. "Now I know this will be a fun match."

Miyuki chuckled.

"Indeed, it will," she responded just as Ikkaku lunged at her again. "Indeed, it will."


End file.
